Desperate
by ReadingRed
Summary: Benson and Stabler become attached to a young victim. How will Benson deal with becoming a foster parent to a traumatized little boy? How will she cope if the boy is ever taken away?
1. Different

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter One: Different

Benson and Stabler had just been called to the emergency room; it was not an uncommon occurrence considering their job. As detectives with the special victims unit they visited the ER often and all too regularly it was to check on a child. That was why they were here today. The fire department found the child and his mother at their apartment after being called because smoke was coming out from the under the door.

"Where is the boy who was just brought in?" Benson asked the nurse who met them at the door.

"He's just down the hall. The mother's critical. Major head trauma. CT shows multiple subdural hematomas." The nurse said as the three of them rushed through the ER to where the boy had been put.

"She gonna make it?" Det. Benson asked.

"It's hard to say. She's in surgery right now."

"And the sexual assault?" Stabler hated he had to ask questions like that, he hated that people committed crimes like that, but catching the perp made it all worth it. Taking a man who had hurt a woman and her child off the streets for the rest of his life made the job, and the questions, a little bit easier to handle.

"Genital trauma shows she was raped and sodomized." The nurse responded. Elliot's stomach turned when he heard the diagnosis. Thinking about what the woman had been put through made him sick. "We didn't find any fluids."

"How's the boy?" Stabler asked, almost afraid of what he would hear from the nurse.

"No physical injuries. All the blood on Mikey was his mom's."

"He may have seen it. You mind if I talk to him?" Benson asked.

"No. Go ahead." On that note the nurse left Benson to deal with the boy. Stabler left to check on the child's mother.

"Mikey?" Benson asked as she entered the room, trying to get the boy's attention. Benson was good at interviewing child victims. They trusted her, she made them feel safe. "My name is Olivia. How old are you?" When she asked she looked the boy over. He was clearly traumatized but showed no signs of physical abuse. He just sat on the bed with his legs pulled up to his chest. He barely looked up, only answering the detective's question by raising four fingers in the air.

"Four?" Benson asked after seeing his raised fingers. She took a step closer to the child, even going so far as to sit on the end of the bed he was on. He didn't seem put off by the gesture. She would even go so far as to say that it comforted him. After seeing what had happened to his mother, having another female presence in his life was welcomed. She was glad that he had opened up slightly; it would make the next few questions a little easier to ask.

"Mikey, I need to talk to you about what happened in the apartment." Benson looked at the boy. He was so small and sad she wanted to comfort him but she knew that it would not be appropriate; her maternal instincts were at war with her better judgment.

"Did you see your mommy get hurt?" At that the boy raised his eyes and nodded his head that smallest amount. Benson's heart broke for the little boy and the horrors he had been through.

"Can you tell me about it?" She asked. Mikey lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. She thought for a moment he would tell her what happened; instead he reached out, grabbing hold of her badge. He took it into his small hand and ran his fingers over it.

"That's right honey, I'm a police officer. And I need your help to find the person who hurt your mom." The boy let go of her badge and leaned back on the hospital bed just as Stabler appeared in the doorway.

"Olivia." He said, leaning his head slightly to the side, motioning her to come over.

"I'll be back in a little while, okay?" For some reason Benson found herself emotionally attached to this little boy more than usual. She took all her cases personally but this one was somehow different, this boy was special. She looked at the boy one more time taking in all his features. His short black hair and his dark blue eyes. The light freckles that covered his face, almost faded but still quite visible. Benson rose and slowly walked to the doorway where her partner stood.

"This is gonna take some time. Maybe once he sees his mother…"

"She just died." Stabler interrupted with the news before Benson could say thing else.

**This is based on season 4 episode 18. This first chapter is very similar to the start of that episode, but the chapters after this one get progressively different, just bare with me please. Future chapters will also be longer in length. Leave me a review and let me know what you think, I'd really like some feedback. **


	2. Determined

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Two: Determined

Benson was crushed when Stabler told her the mother had died. Where would this little boy go? Who would take care of him now? She hated giving children news like this. She thought about asking Stabler to do it, but she knew Mikey was familiar with her. He might take the news better if it came from her. No, he wouldn't take the news well from anyone. He mother was dead. His world was crushed.

She looked back into the hospital room where Mikey sat on the bed. He looked so small, so serene. The boy gave her a little smile and she forced herself to smile back.

"I'll do it El. I'll tell him his mother is dead." Benson told him.

Stabler gave her a knowing look. He hated this part of the job too; he knew how hard it was to break this kind of news to someone, especially when that someone was a child.

"I'll come with you. No sense in doing this alone."

Benson and Stabler entered the room and went to the hospital bed little Mikey sat atop.

Benson sat down on the corner of the bed and took Mikey's hand in hers. Stabler stood behind Benson supportively. He didn't want to spook the child by getting to close. A man had hurt Mikey's mommy and the boy had seen it. Stabler knew that children often developed fears of people who looked like the attacker, and he didn't want to put Mikey through any more pain.

"Mikey. Sweetie, I'm so, so sorry but I have some bad news. Your Mommy was hurt too bad, and the doctors couldn't fix her. I'm sorry but she had to go to Heaven." Mikey gripped her hand harder and started shaking his head back and forth.

"I'm sorry Mikey but it's true. The doctors did all they could but she was just hurt too bad. I'm sorry." Mikey started to cry silent tears. They were pouring from his eyes. Benson expected the child to wail, to beg her to bring his mommy back, but the boy stayed silent. He just cried and cried. Benson knew then that this boy was accustomed to pain. He was used to people around him being hurt; maybe he was used to being hurt himself. She knew that this boy had been through hell in his short little life, and judging by his reaction to this news, his first trip hadn't been last night.

Olivia pulled the little boy onto her lap. He tucked his head under her chin and wrapped his arms around her. Olivia felt his hot, wet tears drip onto her shirt. She stroked the boys head and whispered to him that everything would be alright. She told him that she would find the man who hurt his mommy and she would lock him up forever. She promised him that she wouldn't ever let anyone hurt him again. She meant every word. Somehow she would find a way to protect this little boy. She would make his life better.

Benson and Stabler stayed with Mikey for an hour before they had to leave to go back to the crime scene. In the time they had spent with Mikey he had become more comfortable with them, staying close to Olivia. But he hadn't said a word. Now Benson and Stabler were back at Mikey's apartment, going over the facts of his mother's case.

"Anything on next of kin?" Benson asked. She wanted to get Mikey home with his family, if he had any. The boy didn't need to be in the hospital at a time like this. He needed to be with people who loved him.

"No handbag, no wallet. Prep took everything he could. And this guy's very careful, so far no prints, no semen, no hair." Stabler told her as they walked through the apartment to the master bedroom where the mother had been killed.

"Why would he target this apartment?" Benson asked puzzled. It wasn't especially nice. There were no indications from outside that the home had anything valuable in it. Just as she was coming to a conclusion, Stabler voiced her thoughts.

"Easy access, ground floor, no gates, the locks are a piece of crap." Stabler said, waving his hand toward the window. "No rhyme, no reason. Maybe whoever did this, did it because they could." It was a sick thought, but a realistic one.

A crime scene tech standing nearby said "from the looks of it, I'd say he forced the window open with a screwdriver." The man went on to tell them a little more of the crime. "Victim's on her back, he gets on the bed startles her, she struggles. He grabs this lamp from that table" he says picking up the lamp in its evidence bag and motioning to the bedside table as he speaks. "Knocks her out with two blows."

"Our victims face was a mess. Are you he only hit her twice?" Benson asked skeptical.

"Blood doesn't lie." The tech said, pointing to the wall behind the bed. It was covered in blood splatter. Benson felt sick for a moment but forced herself to listen to the tech told her and Stabler more about the crime.

"See that single line on the ceiling?" he asked.

Benson nodded. "First blow starts the blood flow, second makes that pattern. And after the rape he beats her some more, but it's over kill, she's already unconscious."

Benson once again had to force the bile back down her throat to ask another question. She wasn't sure what made this case so much more difficult to deal with. Then she knew. It wasn't the woman, it was the child. She hurt for Mikey. It pained her to know that he was without a mother now. She knew she would find his mother's killer, she would do that for Mikey.

"Well how'd you get that?" She asked.

"Blood splatter on the pillow in concentrated in one area. It doesn't look like she moved to evade the blows."

It made Stabler sick to think that someone could do this to a woman. He thought of his own girls, and imagined what he would do if this happened to Elizabeth, Maureen, or Kathleen. Quickly he forced those thoughts out of the way, that wouldn't happen to his kids.

"All the damage was to her face. This feels personal. Maybe it's not some random break in we're looking at." Stabler says walking around the room. He can't look at the blood covered bed any longer.

"If she was knocked out during the sexual assault, maybe Mikey slept through it." Benson says with false hope. She knew deep down that Mikey had seen it or had at least been awake when it happened. The way the little boy acted made it obvious that he had seen violence.

"I don't think so, see the hand prints?" the tech asks, pointing to a perfect set of tiny hand prints on the wall, a sick parody of the ones Elliot's children made at school.

"Maybe Mikey tried to way Mommy up, got his hands in the blood, could've happened after the perp left." Stabler said looking down at the hand prints on the wall. He heart twisted in his chest for what the little boy had been through. No child deserved this.

"Possible" the tech concedes, "but see the urine stain?" he asked leading them to the door of the bedroom. On the left side of the door was a dark stain on the light carpet. "Boy hid in the doorway, watching."

"Mikey" Benson cut in. "The boy's name is Mikey."

"Fine, Mikey hid in the doorway. Mikey saw it all." The tech said with a grim face.


	3. Deceiver

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Three: Deceiver

Benson thought of Mikey. She imagined all the boy had seen, what he had been through, and it broke her heart. He was only four and he already been through so much. She wondered if he would ever be able to be a normal child again. Olivia hoped that losing his mother at such a young age, and in such a violent way, hadn't broke Mikey to the point that he would be unfixable. She said a silent prayer that Mikey would heal and somehow overcome this tragedy.

"Benson." Stabler said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Come on" he said "we've got a job to do, for Mikey."

"For Mikey" Olivia echoed.

As much as neither one of them wanted to believe it, the urine stain and the bloody hand prints were proof that Mikey had been awake turning the attack on his mother, and might've even seen her attacker.

Stabler and Benson decided to canvas the neighbors and find out if anyone might've seen someone enter or leave Mikey's apartment the night before, the person who killed his mother. They went door to door, asking the residents if they had heard anything from the apartment the night before, or if they had seen anyone suspicious hanging around the building, unfortunately there weren't any leads.

Stabler's gut was nagging him. Something about the attack seemed off to him. At first he had thought that the attacker had picked Mikey and his mother because of the ease of access, but now he was beginning to think that Mikey and his mother might've known the attacker.

The crime seemed too personal to have been committed by a stranger. He wanted more than anything to find the person responsible for killing Mikey's mother. They had knocked on the doors of the apartments to the left and right of Mikey's apartment and had received no new news.

The tenets all said that they didn't know much of Mikey or his mother, and they hadn't heard anything out of the ordinary the night before. Stabler and his partner decided to go upstairs and ask the person living above Mikey if they had heard anything. They left the rest of the canvassing to the other detectives at the scene.

Stabler reached out and rapped loudly on the front door, moments later an old woman who looked to be in her seventies answered.

"NYPD. I'm Det. Benson and this is Detective Stabler." Benson said pointing to herself and then Stabler. "Last night there was a murder in the apartment just below yours. Did you hear anything? Maybe see something out your window that seemed odd?" Benson asked.

The woman shook her head.

"No, the walls are paper thin, but I didn't hear nothin'. Smoke woke me up. I was the one that called yous' guys. They didn't tell you that?" The old woman said with a skeptical look.

"No ma'am they didn't." Stabler said, a little surprised that they hadn't heard. "We're trying to locate family members. What can you tell us about Mikey and his mom?

"Not much. Said her name was Dana. Didn't give me the family tree. Moved in, 'bout month ago, stayed to herself mostly. I offered to watch the boy while she worked, but she said no."

"She have any visitors? A boyfriend?" Stabler asked hoping for a lead. His gut was telling him, the person who hurt Dana was someone close to her.

"I didn't see no one, just her and the boy." So much for his gut Stabler thought to himself. It seemed like this case was going nowhere. Whoever did it hadn't left any finger prints and it seemed like the neighbors didn't know anything. He was beginning to lose hope that they would ever find Dana's murderer.

"Did she ever say anything about family? Maybe mention where they used to live?" Benson asked. She too was feeling that the case wasn't going anywhere, and she was desperate to find a lead.

The old woman shook her head again. "Maybe the landlord knows."

"Good, he around?" Stabler said, happy that they had finally found something to go on. It wasn't much, but it would do for now.

"That bastard only comes around to pick up the rent. He's got an office in mid town. Betcha it's a lot nicer then this dump."

Benson and Stabler knew the woman had given them all the information she had, so after asking a few more questions they said goodbye and left.

The drive to the landlord's office took longer than either of them would've liked. They wanted this case solved, and they wanted it solved fast.

They pulled up outside the office building and managed to find a good parking spot. They showed their badges to the receptionist and she told them how to get to the landlords office. The old woman had been right, his office was a hell of a lot nicer then the apartment building was. The office was furnished with overlarge furniture and paintings covered the walls.

The landlord himself was the picture of a slum lord. Hair piece, bad suit, bad teeth, nice watch. He answered their questions easily enough but Stabler and Benson had the feeling that he was lying to them.

"We're here to ask you a few questions about a tenant of yours." Benson said. "Sandy Wood Apartments, apartment 1-H."

"I can do that." He said with a fake smile, standing from behind his desk and going to a file cabinet nearby. He searched for a moment and pulled out a file. "Ahh yes, Apartment 1-H. That would be, uh, Dana McGuire."

"Okay. We'll need the rental application, credit report, and any other papers." She said. His face fell for a moment, but soon enough he forced that same fake smile he had had on earlier back on his face.

"Sorry, my secretary called in sick. I don't know where she keeps those files."

"A landlord who can't find a lease?" Stabler asked skeptically, with a look toward Benson, now they knew for sure, this guy was hiding something.

"Hey, I'm a busy man." The landlord said, trying to play Stabler's statement off as a joke. They weren't laughing. "I got better thing s to do than listen to a cop crack wise. I've got calls to make." He says picking up the phone on his desk and sitting down.

"Friend of mine at the D.A.'s office loves to prosecute slumlords." Benson said, putting her hand on the phone jack, disconnecting him from the call he was trying to make. She motioned for him to hand the phone back to her. He did so reluctantly, slouching back down in his seat after he handed her the phone.

"The last guy was sentenced to six months living in his own condemned building." Benson said with a look to him. The man cracked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Look I don't have any paper on her. It was off the books." He said with a sigh. "Lady paid cash up front for three months."

"Which we'll be glad to pass on to the IRS, in case you forgot." Stabler told the slumlord.

"Hey! I'm trying to be helpful here!" The man exclaimed.

"So far you're coming up short." Stabler bit back. He was not in the mood to mess around with this punk. He wanted answers for a little boy. He wanted to be able to tell Mikey that they got the bastard who killed his mom.

"Okay, wait a minute. Um, she showed me her driver's license. Address was on Central Park West, 300 block." The man said quickly hoping to please Benson and Stabler.

"Your memory's a little convenient." Benson said. She didn't really believe that this man had anything to do with Dana's murder but his actions did seem odd.

"Names I'm not so good at." He said with a shrug, "but I never forget a prime piece of real estate."

They left the landlords office quickly after that. There wasn't any reason to stay; he had told them everything he knew.

It wasn't too far from the landlord's office to Dana McGuire's previous address.

They found the residence quickly, hoping that the owner would have some information about Dana and Mikey.

They knocked quickly and a man opened the door a few seconds later.

"Can I help you?" He asked a bit impatiently.

"Yeah, NYPD, good afternoon." Benson said, flashing her badge at the man. "We're wondering if you know a Dana McGuire?"

"Of course I do, I'm her husband." The man said with a scoff. Benson and Stabler shared a look, both asking the other if this could be their guy.

"Mr. McGuire, when was the last time you saw your wife?" Stabler asked.

"About five minutes ago" the man answered in his impatient voice. Stabler was beginning to really dislike this guy. "She's inside feeding the baby!" he practically shouted at the detectives.

"Do you mind if we come in and have a word with the two of you?" Benson asked. The man gave her a nod and pushed the door open wide so they could both enter. He led them down a short entrance way and into a living room. They saw a small blonde woman feeding an infant baby.

The case had just taken a very interesting turn. They explained that a woman claiming to be Dana McGuire had been murdered the night before. The real Dana McGuire told them that she had been mugged a couple of months before and that her license, along with her credit cards, had been stolen.

"Mrs. McGuire, did you report the robbery?" Benson asked.

"Fat lot of good it did." The husband said. His wife placed a calming hand on his arm and he quieted.

"They caught the guy maxing out my credit cards at Macy's."

Mr. McGuire didn't stay quiet for long. "D.A. plea-bargained the case. He only got six months at Rikers."

Benson and Stabler asked a few more questions and decide to make the trip out to Rikers. Maybe the man who stole the purse would know who Mikey's mom really was. It took them hours to get to Rikers Island. The only access to the island, other than ferry, was a bridge in Queens so they had to go through the city, through Queens, and finally they got to the island.

The prisoner who had mugged the real Dana McGuire was named Harrison Phillips. Stabler and Benson were able to get into the prison to see him without any trouble.

Harrison was brought to a secure room used by the prisoners to speak with their lawyers.

"Harrison, we'll make this quick. We need to know about the license you stole." Stabler said.

"Those yuppie moms, pushing their strollers, carrying diaper bags, yoga mats and crap. Easy pickings." Harrison said.

"I checked your booking sheet. Dana McGuire's driver's license was not on you when you were caught." Benson said. Harrison jumped up from his seat.

"What are you smoking? No way I'm copping to another charge!" He yelled.

"Harrison, take a good look around. Do you see your lawyer in this cell? Did I Mirandize you?" Stabler asked. Harrison shook his head. "Then nothing you say is admissible, a career criminal should know better."

"Hey, I ain't no career criminal." Harrison said, a lot calmer now that he knew he wasn't in any more trouble.

"Look, we just want to know who bought the ID, off the record." Benson said. She was praying that this would be the break they needed. That they would finally find out who the woman really was, and maybe find some family to take Mikey in. He needed a good home with people who would love him.

"On the record, you help us out, we'll talk to the D.A., you finish out your sentence in a halfway house." Stabler bargained.

Harrison sat down and looked at Benson, trying to reads her intentions. She looked back with the same intensity. He seemed to find what he was looking for and started talking.

"Well you got a picture or sumtin' I can look at?" Benson handed her a photo they had found at Mikey's apartment of he and his mother.

"Oh, yeah, I met this chick in a diner. Said she couldn't find work 'cause she had no ID." He shrugged. "I felt sorry for her."

"Okay, did you get a real name?" Benson asked.

He nodded, "she said it was Jill, son's name is Tommy." He said with a smile.

Benson was confused. Tommy? The boys name was Mikey. Why would she change her son's name? What where they hiding from?

"Are you sure that's his real name?" she asked, maybe Harrison was just mixed up about the boy's name, Tommy and Mikey weren't that different, maybe the man was just remembering it wrong.

"Sure I'm sure. Same as my kid brother." Harrison told her, slightly indignant.

"We'll talk to the D.A.. Open the gate." Stabler told the guard. Harrison and the prison guard both left. Benson and Stabler stayed behind in the cell.

"Jill calls the kid Tommy to this mope, but Mikey to the neighbors." Stabler said.

"And he answers to both. You add that to the fake ID and that fleabag apartment." Benson followed up.

"You know, you break parole, you run from creditors, you change your name. You change your kids name you're hiding from something bigger."


	4. Disease

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Four: Disease

Benson and Stabler were walking out of the prison when Benson's cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket, answering the phone with her normal greeting.

"Benson" she said, they continued walking to the car, Benson talking to whoever it was that was on the other side of the phone and Stabler trying to put the information they had just received into a situation that made sense. So far his options were:

A: Jill was really Tommy/Mikey's mother and they were running from someone, and considering how things ended up, this was the option Stabler was leaning towards.

B: Jill had kidnapped Tommy/Mikey and changed their names to hide their whereabouts.

And finally option C: Jill was into drugs or some other illegal activity and they were hiding from drug dealers or her pimp. Since he had no evidence to support option C and there really wasn't anything that made him think she had kidnapped the boy, he was almost positive that they were hiding from someone, maybe a husband or an ex boyfriend. By the time he had figured all this out they were at the car, and Benson was off the phone. It hadn't been a long conversation so he was sure it wasn't a personal call, that meant it had to do with this case.

"What, what is it? Is there something wrong with Mik…Tommy?" It was hard to stop calling the boy Mikey, but now that they knew his real name was Tommy, he was trying to adjust so when they dealt with the boy next he wouldn't slip and call him the wrong name. It just seemed to Stabler that Mikey was the name he had when his mother was killed, maybe being Tommy again would bring back some happier memories.

"No, nothing's wrong with Tommy, thank God, he's fine… well as fine as he can be, considering. That was Warner, she wants us at the morgue." Stabler nodded and they climbed in the car.

They knew it was going to be a long day, but to them Tommy was worth driving all over New York City. They passed the time in the car talking about everything under the moon. She asked about his kids, and if things were any better with Kathy, his kids were great, but his relationship with his wife was as bad as ever. He asked her if she had a boyfriend yet, and if she was ever going to settle down and have kids. No boyfriend at the moment, and she'd been looking into adopting, but for now she'd be happy just to borrow his kids every once in a while. Before they knew it they were pulling into the parking garage at the morgue. The conversation had been so good that Benson wanted to ask him to drive around the block once or twice, but then she remembered why they were there and she was more than willing to exit the car.

The elevator ride to Warner's office was a short one and they were soon standing next to the medical examiner.

"Thanks for getting here so fast. Come take a look at this." Warner said motioning them over to the wall where a CT scan was hanging in a light box. Warner points at two spots on the scan.

"Jill's head CT, two subdural hematomas consistent with two plow from the lamp found at the scene." Warner told them.

"I thought you had something new for us" Stabler said. He was tired of running around all day and getting nowhere. He wanted something new, something that would help them find out who killed Jill.

Unaffected by Stabler's bad mood Warner went on telling them more of what she found. "I've got a time frame for the assault."

"How?" Benson asked. She'd seen hundreds of CT scans over the years but to her they all looked the same. If Warner could gather any new information from the scan Benson was all for it.

"The brain shrank away from the injury site, and she bled out into the skull cavity." Warner explained pointing out the evidence as she explained her findings. "Now based on the amount of blood, the attack occurred seven to nine hours before these were taken."

"So backtrack from hospital admission that puts it between 9:00 and 11:00 last night." Stabler concluded.

"The fire department didn't get the call till 5:00 a.m. Tommy was alone for six hours watching her die." Benson said, her heart breaking for the little boy, no one deserved what he had been through, let alone a four year old.

"Tommy's the reason I called you over here." Warner said leading them away from the CT scan and towards the exam table where Jill's body lay covered by a thin sheet. Jill had been a beautiful woman. Blonde hair and a kind face, Benson could see Tommy in her, the shape of their eyes were the same, the way their mouths turned up just the slightest bit at the corners as if they were always smiling, Tommy's hair was dark like Olivia's, in fact it was the exact same shade if brown, but the texture of it was all Jill. It broke Olivia's heart to see this woman laid out on the table like she was. They would find out who had done this to her, Benson hoped Warner had some news that would help them find the killer.

"See these old surgical incisions on her abdomen?" Warner asked lifting the sheet away from Jill's body so they could see the scars. "The one in the upper left quadrant is from a splenectomy." She said pointing her finger at one of the many scars on Jill's stomach.

"She had her spleen removed, so what?" Stabler asked.

"I'd say she had Hodgkin's disease as a child. The treatment also includes chemotherapy, which probably would've left her unable to have children. So I took a sample of Tommy's blood from the hospital and ran his DNA against the victim's. It was a match, I can't explain it. She shouldn't have been able to have children. He was a miracle. Jill's miracle baby.


	5. Double

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Five: Double

"Aside from what I just told you there are other things you need to know about Jill." Warner said, looking grim.

"What is that?" Stabler asked.

"She was abused. For years I'd say. I found scars all over her body, her head, her abdomen, her legs, everywhere. Her right arm has been broken at least three different times, her left I'd say twice, six ribs look as if they've been cracked, healed and then broken again on more than one occasion. This is one of the worst domestic abuse cases I've ever seen. It's a wonder that she survived this long."

Benson looked again at Jill's body. Broken and abused laid out on the table for all to see. Benson knew why Jill had survived for as long as she did. It was because of her miracle baby. Jill had fought to live so she wouldn't leave Tommy with his monster of a father. Now Tommy was alone in the world. Benson looked at Jill and silently promised the woman that she would look after her miracle. Benson vowed to make sure Tommy found a family full of people who would love him and care for him.

They left the M.E.'s office after Warner filled them in on everything else she had found. It hadn't been much but they were glad for anything that might help them put Jill's killer behind bars.

Benson and Stabler walked down the silent hallway leading to the parking garage without saying a word to one another. They feet fell into their familiar cadence and soon they were in step with each other. Finally Stabler broke the silence.

They had just exited the building and were making their way to their car when he said "She's right you know."

"About what?" Benson asked.

"He's her miracle baby. I mean I have four, and we didn't try to have any of them. I can't imagine how she must've felt growing up thinking that she would never have children, and then one day becoming a parent. She must've really loved Tommy."

"We need to find the man who killed her."

"Agreed." They both climbed into the car. Elliot started the car and headed towards Olivia's apartment. On their way to her home they passed the hospital Tommy was staying at over night. Without a word Benson pulled her cell out of her pocket and dialed Cabot's number.

Elliot looked at her puzzled but kept quiet as she made her call.

"Alex, hey it's Benson. Tommy's still at the hospital right? Last I heard they weren't able to find a foster home. Okay, I know this is out of the ordinary but I want him to stay with me for the night. I'm a foster parent, I'm still certified. Please, his mom was just murdered; he shouldn't have to stay at the hospital tonight." Olivia was silent for a moment as Cabot said something; it gave Elliot time to comprehend what she was doing.

He smiled at first, and then the worry started in. He knew that Olivia would do great taking care of Tommy overnight, but what about the next day or the one after that? He knew that if Tommy stayed with her for more than a couple of days the two would fall in love with each other, heck if this call was any proof she already had. He didn't want Olivia to fall any deeper in love with this child if there was any chance of him being taken away from her. Still he knew what the answer would be and before Benson could even hang up the phone Elliot turned the car around and headed back to the hospital. Benson ended the call with Cabot and turned to him, a small smile gracing her face.

"El?" she asked, "you're okay with this right? With me taking Tommy in for the time being?"

He paused for a second and then reassured him. "Yeah 'Liv. I'm okay with this, more than okay. I think it's a good idea. You're right; Tommy shouldn't have to stay in a hospital all alone tonight. I just want you to be careful, I'm telling you now, you will fall in love with him, and he'll fall in love with you and then he might be taken from you. Foster care isn't forever."

"I know El, but should the fear of what's to come stop me from making a difference now? I know that he might leave one day, but I also know that for the time he's with me he'll have a safe place where he is loved. Please El, just be with me on this, please." Benson was so earnest with her plea. He smiled and reached out and took her hand, keeping one of his on the steering wheel.

"Of course 'Liv. I'm with you every step. Whatever you two need, just ask." He parked the car in the parking garage adjacent to the hospital. The two made their way to Tommy's room. He had been moved from the emergency room to a private room on the fifth floor. Stabler went to the nurses' station on the floor and told them what was going on and Benson went into Tommy's room. The lights were off and the little boy was sleeping on the bed, curled into a ball. The four year old had his right thumb in his mouth and the other hand was splayed over his face. He looked calm and peaceful, not at all like a child who had seen a murder less them forty-eight hours before. Olivia said a quick prayer, asking that she would do right by this child for the time he was with her.

Normally she wasn't a very religious person, it wasn't that she had anything against God, but now she figured asking for help from one more person couldn't hurt any.

Stabler came in at that moment and stood next to Benson, both of them looking at the little boy.

"Want me to pick him up? I might be able to do it without him waking up. I've had a bit of practice in this department." He said with a quiet laugh.

"The nurses said we were okay to leave with him? There's no reason why they have to keep him over night?" She asked. He shook his head and she motioned for him to pick up the boy. He smiled and bent over the child gently sliding one arm under the four year olds neck and the other under his legs. He lifted carefully and positioned Tommy against his chest. The boy dropped his head on Elliot's shoulder all the while staying asleep. Olivia walked to the door and opened it, holding it wide for Elliot and Tommy. They waved to the nurses on the way out, well Olivia waved and Elliot gave them a nod seeing as his hands were otherwise occupied.

The walk to the car was uneventful until someone in the parking garage slammed their car door sending a wave of sound at them. Tommy woke up with a jerk, he tensed in Elliot's arms and a look of terror came over his face. He started to cry but no sound came from his lips. He turned his head wildly looking everywhere trying to figure out where he was. His eyes landed on Olivia and he thrust his arms out at her, quickly she grabbed him and cradled him against her. Elliot took a step back from the two after he passed Tommy off to Olivia. He knew that it was his presence that scared Tommy, and he cursed himself for not considering this possibility before he had picked up the boy.

Elliot watched Olivia and Tommy. The little boy wrapped his arms around Olivia's neck and his legs around her waist. Tommy was his crying but he no longer looked as if he was about to die from fear. Olivia was whispering soothing words to him, doing her best to calm him down. She stroked the back of his head, and held his tight against her, hoping that he would feel secure in her arms. Soon he stopped crying and fell asleep in her arms.

"Liv, I'm so sorry. I should've known he would be scared if he woke up in my arms." He said walking closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her and Tommy into a hug. She leaned her head on his shoulder, much like Tommy was doing to her, and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths.

"It's fine El, he's fine." She mumbled into his shoulder. "Will you drop us off at my place. I know you want to get back to Kathy and the kids." Elliot nodded and opened the door to the backseat for her. She bent down and placed Tommy on the seat buckling his seatbelt carefully so as to not wake the boy up. She closed the door and walked around the back of the car to the passenger side and got into her usual seat. Elliot started the car and Olivia was glad it wasn't far from the hospital to her apartment. The ride wasn't tense but she was ready for the day to be over.

"Olivia" Elliot said, and she got the feeling it wasn't the first time he had tried to get her attention.

"Yes? Sorry I was zoning I guess. Did you say something?"

"I said, I could bring over some of Dickie's old clothes tomorrow morning if you want. He's a little older then Tommy, but his clothes should do for now. I should be able to find some clothes that are too small for Dickie but will fit Tommy. If you want that is."

"Yeah! Of course, that'd be great, I hadn't even thought about that yet."

Elliot pulled the car up to the curb in front of Olivia's apartment and put it into park.

"I'd offer to carry him upstairs for you but we both know how that turned out." He said with a quiet laugh. She laughed too before opening her down and climbing out. She raced around the back of the car and opened Tommy's door. The boy was still asleep. She unbuckled him and lifted him up into her arms, glad that he was light for his age. Elliot closed the car door for her and walked she and Tommy to her apartment.

"Do you mind if I bring the twins over tomorrow when I bring the clothes? It might do Tommy some good being around kids his own age." Elliot asked her as they stood outside the door to her apartment.

"Yes, of course, bring them all. I haven't seen any of your kids in a while; I was starting to miss them." She said with a smile. She struggled to get her keys out while holding Tommy. Elliot saw her predicament and came to the rescue.

"Here, back up. I'll use mine." He said pulling out his key ring. They had exchanged keys a couple of years before in case there was an emergency. He unlocked the door and pushed it wide open so Olivia could easily walk in with Tommy in her arms. She entered the apartment and turned.

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She said.

"Bright and early." He confirmed.

"Good bye" Olivia said.

"Good bye."

Olivia shut the door gently and Elliot turned and left. Feeling, not for the first time, that he was leaving part of his heart behind in the apartment, only this time, that part was double the size it had been the last time.


	6. Drawing

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Six: Drawing

Olivia woke up to the sound of a child crying. She jumped out of bed and ran to the guest bedroom Tommy had slept in the night before. She opened the door gently so she wouldn't scare Tommy. The four year old was curled up on the bed crying.

"Oh Tommy, are you okay? It's me Olivia. Do you remember me from the hospital? I'm the police officer who talked to you there." Olivia knelt by the side of the bed and reached out a hand to comfort the boy. She stroked his head and the boy leaned into her touch, seeking the comfort she was giving. She sat on the bed and pulled the boy onto her lap.

"Tommy, I bet you were a little scared waking up in this place, not knowing where you were or how you got here. I'm sorry for that. I should've woke you up last night and told you what was going on. I'm Olivia, I'm a police officer, and I'm going to be your foster mom for a while, if that's okay with you. What do you think of that?" She asked the child. Tommy looked up and her and nodded.

"How about we check out the apartment and then get some breakfast? How does that sound to you?" She asked, again the boy was silent only nodding his consent. Olivia stood sliding the boy from her lap onto her hip. Together they left the spare room and walked the apartment. Olivia opened the doors they past, showing him her room, the bathroom, even the closets. When they reached the kitchen she set him down on his feet.

"You ready for breakfast? I only have cereal but we can buy different food later. I have fruit loops, cheerios, and raisin bran. Which one do you want?" She asked showing him the different boxes. He pointed to the fruit loops and she smiled. "Those are my favorite too." She poured them both a bowl and brought them to the table. Together Olivia and Tommy ate their breakfast in comfortable silence. When they were finished Olivia decided to fill him in on the plans for the day.

"I have some friends coming over and they're going to bring you some clothes. My partner Elliot, you saw him at the hospital too, is going to bring his four kids over here. He has a boy named Dickie who is just a little bit older then you, and he also has three girls. Their names are Maureen, she's ten, Kathleen, she's eight, and Elizabeth is six. Elizabeth and Dickie are twins, so they're both the same age."

Tommy nodded but didn't look excited at the thought of four new friends.

"How about we color until they get here?" She asked. Most children like to color so she hoped he would too. Luckily she had some construction paper and crayons left over from the last time Elliot had brought his kids over. Tommy nodded with a smile. Olivia found the crayons and paper in the junk drawer in her kitchen and brought them back to the table.

"Here you go." She said cheerfully sliding the paper down by his hands and giving him the pack of crayons. Eagerly he opened the crayons and started to color. She too took a piece of paper and a crayon and started to color. Their play was silent until Tommy stopped coloring and lifted his paper up for her to see. She was shocked to say the least. Tommy's picture was of his mother's murder. Even though it was drawn by a four year old, the message was clear. The picture showed his mother lying on her bed and a man leaning over her holding a lamp shaped object. The paper was covered in red. Olivia tried to hide her shock.

"Tom… Tommy. That is quite the drawing. May I have it?" She wanted to keep the drawing to show to Dr. Huang. Tommy nodded and handed her the picture. "How about you draw another picture for me. Draw something that makes you happy." He smiled and bent his head down towards the paper and started to draw. Olivia left the table and called Dr. Huang.

"George, it's me Olivia. Would you be willing to see my foster son? His mother was murdered and he saw it happen; now he's drawing the murder. I'm not sure what to do." She waited for his response. "Thanks so much. When should I bring him by the station?" Again she waited for his answer. "Okay, five o clock works for me. Thanks again."

She went back to the table and looked over Tommy's shoulder. This time his drawing was much more cheerful. It was of a boy and a woman holding hands. At first Olivia thought it was of Tommy and his mother then she noticed the writing above the picture, 'Mikey and Olivia'.

"Tommy, I know your real name." The boy looked up from his paper and dropped his crayon.

Olivia didn't know why he hadn't noticed her calling him by his real name earlier but she figured it didn't matter now. She just had to make him comfortable with someone else knowing his secret.

"I also know that you are a really brave boy. Don't be afraid Tommy. It's okay. You know why?" He shook his head. "'Cause I'm here to help you. See that" Olivia asked picking her badge up off the counter where she had placed it the night before.

"I'm a police officer, and that's what police officers do. I'm also your foster mom and that means I take extra special care of you. Police officers and foster moms' both help little boys that are afraid."

Tommy stood up from the table and walked closer to her.

"What?" She asked. Olivia saw him reach out for her cell phone. "You want my phone?" She asked. She handed it to him. "Here you go." Tommy flipped the phone open and dialed a number. She watched his fingers move. "Nine- one- one. That's exactly right. That's who you call when you want the police. Good job. Do you know your home phone number" Benson asked.

Tommy dropped the phone on the table, making it clear that he was not going to call his home number if he did know it.

"How about… Do you know any other numbers? Like say a number you would call in an emergency?" She handed him back the phone and watched him dial the number.

"Good, you're so smart. You know what? I was wondering if you'd do me a favor. Will you draw me another picture?" Tommy smiled a big smile and handed her back the phone.

Olivia saved the number and decided she would call it later when she had a free moment. Tommy got started on a new picture and Olivia sat back in her chair and watched the boy color. It was hard to reconcile the image of this little boy with the one who had seen his mother being murdered just a couple of nights before. Before she could get too lost in thought there was a knock at her door.

"That must be them Tommy. Do you want to come meet them?" Tommy didn't look at all eager to see who was behind the door but he did get up from the table and follow her. She turned back to look at him.

"Don't worry Tommy. I promise. They're very nice people."


	7. Delivery

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Seven: Delivery

Elliot decided not to tell the kids about going to Olivia's house until the next morning. He wanted to surprise them and avoid a fight with their mother at the same time. Kathy had been acting odd lately, if Elliot didn't know better he'd think she was pregnant.

Elliot knew he had to fill Kathy in before mentioning anything to the kids about where they were going or what they would do when they got there. When the alarm went off at six Saturday morning Elliot decided that it was as good a time as any to spring the news on Kathy.

"Kathy." Elliot said to his wife as she sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Yes Elliot." Kathy replied, her voice weary, as if just speaking his name wore her out.

"I'm not sure how much you know about the case I'm working on but it's just gotten a little bit more complicated. Jill, the victim was murdered a couple of days ago and her son Tommy saw the whole thing. Olivia and I were the ones who had to tell him that she had died. Anyway they had tried to find him a foster home but none were available so instead of making him sleep in the hospital, Olivia volunteered to take him in for now. I said we could give him some of Dickie's old clothes, and that I'd bring the kids over to her place today so Tommy would have something to take his mind off of what happened." He explained everything quickly. He knew that his wife was not an unkind woman, although she didn't always like him spending his free time with Olivia, but beneath it all Kathy had a good heart. Kathy was silent for a moment and Elliot started to worry.

"Kathy?" he asked gently. "Are you okay with this?"

"Yes, of course. That poor boy, is there anything else he needs? Besides the clothes that is. How old did you say he was?" Kathy's response reminded Elliot exactly why it was he married her in the first place, she was a good woman. He smiled at her, a true smile, one he hadn't given to her in a while.

"He's four. Olivia didn't ask for anything else, but maybe, if there are a few toys that the kids don't play with any more they might be willing to give some to him. I'm sure Tommy would appreciate it."

Two hours later Elliot, his four kids, and a bag full of clothes and toys were on their way to Olivia's apartment.

"Daddy?" Elizabeth's voice came from the back seat of Elliot's SUV.

"Yes?"

"What's his name 'gin? Livia's little boy's name?" The six year old asked.

Elliot chuckled at her question and her reference to Tommy as 'Livia's boy' he knew how long Olivia had wanted a child; he just hoped it wouldn't break her when Tommy was eventually taken from her.

"His name is Tommy and he's just a little younger than you." He answered.

"Oh, okay Daddy." After that the ride was silent, mostly due to the early hour, the kids slept most of the way. Elliot found a parking spot near to Olivia's apartment and the kids piled out eager to get inside and meet their new play mate. Elliot grabbed the bag of clothes and led the kids into Olivia's apartment building. Maureen and Kathleen raced ahead to push the button to the elevator, Dickie and Lizzie preferring to stay by Elliot and walk at a slightly slower pace. They reached the elevator and Elliot told Maureen to push number 6 for Olivia's floor.

The kids waited as patiently as four kids under 10 could but once the doors opened the raced out of the elevator and down the hall to Olivia's door. Kathleen knocked loudly and Olivia took a moment to answer. She pulled open the door with a smile. Elliot could see Tommy standing a few feet behind her with an anxious look on his face.

"Hi guys." She said to the kids. Dickie and Lizzie both rushed her at the same time, wrapping their arms around her waist. "umph" she grunted, the force of their bodies hitting hers a bit more then she expected. Tommy started. The boy rushed over and started pulling their arms off of Olivia.

"Stop! Don't hurt her! Stop!" he shouted. They were the first words Olivia and Elliot had ever heard him speak. The boy was frantic. His shouts had scared the other children and they all backed away, Dickie and Lizzie letting go of Olivia and hanging onto Elliot instead.

"Tommy, Tommy, shh, it's okay. I'm fine, they weren't hurting me, I promise." Olivia had dropped to her knees and was hugging Tommy to her. The little boy was crying and shaking from fear. Tommy soon quieted. Dickie came over and tapped the boy on his shoulder and Tommy turned to look at the slightly older boy.

"Tommy, I love 'Livia. I'd never hurt her, and nea'ver would my sisters or my Daddy. I promise." Dickie said looking Tommy straight in the eye. Tommy held his gaze. The four year old reached out a hand, pinky extended.

"Pinky promise?" Tommy asked. Dickie nodded and stuck out his own pinky. The boys shook hands and Tommy seemed better. He let go of Olivia but didn't step away from her.

"You really okay?" He asked. Olivia nodded and smiled. "I'm fine Tommy I promise. Dickie is right; none of them would ever hurt me." She stood and took Tommy's small hand in hers.

"Do you want to meet our guests now?" Tommy nodded reluctantly.

"This is Dickie. Maureen is standing next to Kathleen, and Lizzie is the one next to Elliot, and Elliot you've already met. He's my partner, which means that he's a police officer too. Remember what we said about police officers?"

"Dear here to help." He quoted back to her, mispronouncing 'they're' in an endearing way.

"Right. Do you want to show them your room?"

Tommy nodded and raced off down the hallway, not bothering to see if any of the children were following him, but they did follow and Olivia and Elliot were left alone in the entrance way.

"So, it looks like you two have had an interesting day so far." He said with a smile.

"You have no idea." She said with a groan. "Come on in, I'll tell you all about it." Elliot smiled and grabbed the bag of clothes before following her into the living room. She plopped down on the sofa and after dropping the bag Elliot followed suit.

"So he woke up crying, turns out it isn't the smartest idea to move a traumatized child in the middle of the night to a strange place and not clue them in beforehand" Elliot winced as she said that but she continued on. "We had breakfast and that went fine. He likes Fruit Loops, a child after my own heart I tell you." Elliot smiled at that. "And then we colored. Simple, safe, fun, right? Not so, he drew the murder." Elliot frowned.

"Liv I'm sorry. He shouldn't have to deal with all this. We'll catch whoever it is who did this. We'll get him and his mom justice. I promise."

"Pinky promise?" she asked in a lightly teasing voice. Elliot laughed loudly.

"Pinky promise."


	8. Deserve

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Eight: Deserve

The day went on peacefully for the most part. The kids all got along well with each other. Elliot and Kathy must've done something right when they raised their children. The Stabler kids didn't fight like most siblings did. Olivia had grown up as an only child but she knew that most siblings fought like cats and dogs, at least that was the way it was for all her friends and their siblings. She was glad that the Stabler kids weren't like that, and she was even happier that Tommy fit in with them like they had known each other their entire lives.

It was lunch time now and Elliot and Olivia were trying to round the kids up. It wasn't going very well.

"Maureen, Kathleen, Lizzie, Dickie, Tommy! Come here please." Elliot yelled through the apartment. He waited for the sound of little footsteps coming toward him. They came but not nearly as loud as they should've. Only Maureen came walking to them.

"Maureen, where are your siblings and Tommy?" He asked her gently.

"Hiding." She said with a grin. Elliot sighed. "Hiding where?" he asked.

"Mmmumum." She said, making one of those noises that was supposed to signify a word or emotion, in this case the noise meant 'I don't know'.

"You have to find them. They're playing a game. Like hide and seek only no saying 'Ollie Ollie Oxen Free'. I'll give you a hint. They're hiding in pairs." Maureen looked like she was doing an impersonation of the Cheshire cat her grin was so big.

"Well what do you say? You want to do some Kid Hunting?" Elliot asked Olivia with a smile.

"We catch criminals all day, how hard can rounding up a few kids be?" She asked.

Turns out it can be very hard. They searched every room, in all the likely places, and they couldn't find any of the children. They figured Tommy and Dickie would be hiding together, and Elizabeth and Kathleen would be hiding together. Elliot had thought the boys would be easiest to find seeing as Dickie couldn't sit still for more than five minutes at a time, but alas it was not so. The boys hid, and they hid well.

"Ohhhh Lizzie, where arrrrreee yoooouuuu?" Elliot asked in a sing song voice. Usually it made Lizzie laugh thus giving away her position. He heard a giggle from Tommy's room and Olivia and he raced there laughing as they went. "Are you in HERE?" he asked throwing open the door with a bang. The laughing got louder and he saw a foot dart back under the bed. He motioned to Olivia and pointed under the bed then raised a finger to his lips in the universal signal to stay quiet. She nodded and they both walked silently to the bed. Elliot reached down and pulled the blanket hanging off the bed up and the laughing increased tenfold. He and Olivia knelt by the bed and looked under it. Two sets of eyes met theirs.

"Gotcha!" He and Olivia yelled at the same time. The girls crawled out from under the bed giggle all the while.

Kathleen climbed onto Elliot's lap and Elizabeth did the same to Olivia.

"You two want to help us find the boys?" Olivia asked looking at one child then the other. The girls jumped up and raced off down the hall to where the boys were hiding laughing as they ran. Olivia and Elliot followed eager to see where the boys had hid. The girls found them in the hall closet, tucked in under the lowest shelf. The boys came crawling out.

"Awe man, why'd you have to show 'dem where we were hidin'?" Dickie whined.

"Come on Dickie, it's just a game. Besides you and Tommy were the last to be found. You won." Elliot placated the boy, unwilling to put up with whining. It worked and Dickie quieted.

"Are you all ready for lunch?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah!" came the shouts from the Stabler kids, Tommy was quieter but no less enthusiastic. The kids ran to the table and each claimed a seat. Tommy next to Dickie who was next to his twin, Lizzie sat next to Kathleen and she was next to Maureen. Elliot and Olivia took the last two remaining chairs, Olivia next to Tommy and Elliot on her other side sitting next to Maureen. Everybody grabbed a slice of pizza from the center of the table and dug in.

"So what do you guys want to do today? Tommy and I have to be at the station at five so we have a couple of hours to kill if you all want to do something."

"We can go to the park, or maybe the zoo." Lizzie said.

"Yeah! The zoo!" Kathleen cheered.

"Well what do you all think about that? The zoo sound good to all of you?" Elliot asked. Maureen shrugged like she could care less but Elliot knew that she really wanted to go, she was just trying to contain her enthusiasm, trying to act older then her ten years. Lizzie and Kathleen already agreed, seeing as it was their idea. Dickie looked to Tommy and Tommy looked to Dickie. At once the boys spoke, both saying the same thing.

"Okay, we'll go." Their voices coming out as one.

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other and laughed. Tommy and Dickie were already acting like brothers.

Elliot worried that his kids would become too attached to Tommy and that it would crush them if he ever had to go back to his family, but he'd come to the conclusion that he shouldn't stop them from becoming close to one another for fear of some great 'what if'. After all isn't said that 'it's better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all?' Granted that saying most likely wasn't about siblings, the principle still stood.

Tommy needed all the love and support that he could get and Elliot was happy that he and his family along with Olivia, could be the ones to give it to him.

"So after we eat Tommy you should look through the clothes Elliot brought over and pick out something to wear to the zoo and once you're done with that we can go." Olivia told the little boy after looking to Elliot for confirmation. Elliot nodded and the children tucked into their food with even greater fervor then before.

Soon enough Tommy was done and he raced off down the hall to his bedroom where Elliot had put the bag of clothes they had brought for him. Dickie finished his last bite and ran off after his friend.

"Hey Liv?" Maureen asked in between bites of pizza.

"Yeah Sweets?" Olivia asked, using the nickname she called Maureen.

"How long is Tommy staying with you?" Maureen asked shyly. "I don't want him to leave." Maureen set her slice of pizza down on the table and looked up at Olivia. Her question had caught Kathleen and Elizabeth's attention. All three girls were looking at Olivia intently waiting for her answer.

"Oh… well… the truth is I don't know. It's complicated. Tommy's staying with me until your dad and I can find his father. Tommy's mom died, and we're not sure yet who did it, and until we find his family and who killed his mom he'll stay here with me."

"How about you jus' don't look any more? 'Dat way he can stay wif you forever." Lizzie said.

"Oh, sweetie, I can't do that. I love Tommy, I do, I wish he could stay with me, but his mom deserves justice. Your dad and I have to do everything we can to find Tommy's family and the people who hurt his mom. It's our job and it's what Tommy and his mom deserve."

"But Liv'…" Kathleen whined.

"No Kath. We don't know how it's going to turn out, but we have to do what's right. Who knows maybe Tommy will be able to stay here when it's all said and done."


	9. Diagnosis

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Nine: Diagnosis

The day at the Zoo had gone well. The kids had chased each other from one exhibit to the next. All too soon it was time for Olivia and Tommy to leave. The duo said good bye to the Stablers at the main entrance to the Zoo. Elliot had driven his car, and Olivia had driven hers. Elliot and Olivia embraced for a quick moment, Elliot taking the time to whisper that everything would be alright and Tommy would be fine. Dickie and Tommy bumped fists laughing and Tommy tried hard to hide his nerves. Maureen gave Olivia and Tommy a hug and Elizabeth and Kathleen followed her lead. They soon parted ways, Olivia and Tommy going to the station to meet with Huang and Elliot taking his kids back to Queens.

Tommy and Olivia walked hand in hand into the station. Olivia introduced him to people she knew hoping it would make him feel more comfortable. She knocked on Captain Cragen's office door. The man's gentle tone floated out from behind the door.

"Come in" he said. Olivia looked down at the little boy holding her hand. He looked up at her and she nodded her head encouragingly.

"It's alright; it's my boss Captain Cragen. I'll bet he'll let you call him Captain Don though, he only let's people he really likes call him Captain Don." Tommy smiled shyly at her, his eyes brightening behind his dark thick lashes.

Olivia pushed open the door to Cragen's office. The captain stood and came out from behind his desk.

"Hello Tommy, my name's Captain Cragen, but you can call me Captain Don." Cragen said crouching down in front of Tommy. Cragen stretched out his hand to shake Tommy's. The boy hesitated for a moment but after a encourageing look from Olivia the boy took Cragen's hand and gave it a few quick shakes.

Cragen smiled and said to the boy, "I'm glad you're here Tommy, it's been too long since we had a kid come visit the precinct. My friend George really wants to talk to you. Do you think you could spare a few minutes and talk to him for me?"

Tommy smiled and nodded his head.

Olivia smiled watching Cragen interact with Tommy. There was a reason why Cragen was the head of the Special Victims Unit. Cragen had a way with children; she had seen how he calmed the boy and got him to agree to talk to Huang in just the few moments that he had spent with Tommy.

Cragen stood and Olivia took Tommy's hand. Together the three of them went from Cragens office to the interview room where Huang was waiting.

"Tommy, this is my friend George. He's the one that really wanted to talk to you. I'll leave you and Olivia here with him okay?" Cragen asked Tommy. At the boys smile and wave Cragen left the room.

"Hello Tommy, my name is George. I was wondering if you'd like to color with me." Tommy smiled and sat at the table directly across from George. Tommy reached out and pulled paper and a few crayons closer to him. While he colored George got up and crossed the room to talk to Olivia.

"Did you bring the picture he already drew?" Huang asked.

"Yes" Benson said pulling the piece of paper out of her bag. She handed it to Huang and watched his expression change as he viewed the picture.

"Tommy, will you be alright for a minute if Olivia and I go outside?" Huang asked.

Tommy didn't even look up from his drawing, just nodded his head, his hand never stopping it's journey across the page.

Huang and Olivia left the room. Olivia closed the door behind the them and immediately started asking Huang questions.

"What? I know it's bad, but we already knew that he'd seen what happened. What else does that picture say?"

"See this?" Huang asked pointing to darkness above the faceless man. Olivia nodded and Huang continued. "That usually means that, well, that a person is bad, but it goes beyond that. This person whoever it is has hurt Tommy and his mom before. He isn't a stranger. I'd start looking for family. Her husband, boyfriend, maybe even her father. The fact that this man doesn't have a face means that Tommy is terrified of him, it's possible that the man threatened to kill Tommy after he attacked Tommy's mom, or if it is Tommy's father, Tommy could've been threatened with death before his mother was attacked. All the red on the page means that Tommy does know what happened. He's only four correct?"

"Yes, Tommy, he's just four. That's good right? Maybe he'll forget."

Huang's face took on a somber look. "Olivia, I wish I could tell you that Tommy would forget this all completely, but I don't think it's likely. With proper counseling and therapy, he'll be able to adjust and move on, but I doubt he'll ever forget what he saw. Like I said, Tommy understands what happened, he knows that his mom was hurt and that she is now dead."

Huang reached out and touched Olivia's arm. "Keep doing what you're doing; give him the chance to be around people who will be a good influence on him. Let him come to work with you and see that we do catch the bad guys. Find his father, and 'Liv, whatever you do, don't let that man keep Tommy."

Olivia nodded and thanked Huang for his time. Opening the door to the children's interviewing room; she stood and watched Tommy coloring. He looked normal, not like a child who might be forever scared by what he had seen. She would do what Huang said, there was no way that Olivia would ever let Tommy's father have him. She and Stabler would find the monster who had killed Jill and they would make him pay.

"Tommy, you ready to go buddy?" Olivia said walking towards the boy. Tommy's head shot up and he rocketed out of his chair. He took two quick steps toward Olivia before spinning on his heal and heading back to the table. He picked up his drawing from the child sized table and ran back to Olivia.

" 'Ere, made it for 'ya" Tommy said with a smile, thrusting the paper into her hands.

It was upside down. Olivia turned it right side up and grinned.

It was a picture of seven figures surrounding a circle, with the unmistakable roundness that was a pizza.

"Is this all of us at lunch today?"

"Yep, you said draw what makes me happy, so I did"


	10. Disbarred

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Ten: Disbarred

"Elliot this case is going nowhere." Benson moaned.

"Have you tried talking to Tommy again?" Stabler asked leaning back in his desk chair.

"I did yesterday. He hasn't spoken since."

"Oh, sorry 'Liv."

"It's okay, I'm dealing with it. He's come quite a ways I think. He's not that boy we met in the hospital a month ago." Olivia said with a smile.

"What about his drawing? Has he drawn anything else about the case?" Stabler asked.

"No, not since that first…" Benson's sentence broke off in the middle as a memory sprung to the forefront of her mind.

"Where's my cell? El, where's my cell?" Olivia said as she franticly searched her desk. Paper's went sliding to the floor and a picture of Tommy and Elliot's children was knocked over.

"Check your pocket Liv. What's wrong?" Elliot asked, looking slightly stunned at Benson's odd behavior.

"He punched in a number. That first time when he drew a picture of the attack, he took my phone and first he entered 911 and then after I asked him to enter a number that he would call in an emergency he entered a different one. I was going to call it then, but with the picture he drew and then you and the kids coming over and Huang, I totally forgot about it until now." Benson said. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, right where Elliot said it would be. "I saved it" Benson said going through the contacts on her phone. "It's still here. Thank God."

Benson pushed call, and held the phone to her ear. She couldn't breathe, this might be the break they were waiting for and she'd had it all along.

"It's a domestic violence hotline." Benson said.

"Get the address, we'll do now. They might know something about Jill and Tommy" Stabler said.

The ride to the domestic violence hotline's office took much too long in Olivia's opinion.

They entered the building and found the director.

"Do you recognize this woman, or this boy?" Olivia said holding out a picture of Jill, from her and Tommy's apartment, and a picture of Tommy that she had taken the day before.

"Oh God, it's Jill Hoffman. That bastard finally did it" the woman said with tears in her eyes.

"Her husband?" Benson asked, following the woman to a filing cabinet.

"Dan Hoffman. Violent son of a bitch" the woman said handing Jill's file to Benson. "Jill wanted to leave but she had nowhere to go. He isolated her completely, drove all her friends away."

"You place her in a DV shelter?" Benson asked, glancing through the file. It was filled with pictures documenting Jill's abuse. When she got to the ones of Tommy she shut the file.

"Jill stayed in one of our safe houses for three weeks, then she left."

"When she found an apartment in Hell's Kitchen?" Stabler asked.

"No, she went back to her husband in Rye. She couldn't bear to leave her son behind." The woman said with a shake of her head.

"Tommy" Benson said.

"She loved that child more than anything else in this world. Called him her miracle."

"Well, then why didn't Jill take Tommy with her to the safe house?" Stabler asked.

"She wanted to but we couldn't allow it. Jill and Dan were never legally married, she said they'd had a wedding, but he never got a marriage license. When Tommy was born Dan made her sign away her rights. My guess is Dan knew eventually Jill wound leave him and he wanted to make sure Jill had no legal right to take Tommy away from him. It worked; we couldn't let her do it. If she'd brought him here, we'd be accessories to kidnapping."

"So that's it? You couldn't do anything?" Benson asked biting back the anger she felt on behalf of Jill and Tommy.

The woman seemed to since Benson's ill feelings. "Our hands were tied. We told her to fight for legal custody. We even found Jill and pro bono attorney."

"We'll need the name of the attorney, please" Stabler said.

The woman nodded and rushed off leaving Stabler to calm Benson down.

He placed a hand on her back and turned her to face him. There were unshed tears in her eyes.

"That woman could've stopped all this. If she'd only let Jill bring Tommy to the shelter, Jill would still be alive and Tommy wouldn't have to live with the memory of his father beating a raping his mother."

"Liv, we don't know that" Stabler said, pulling Benson into a hug. "Don't blame her. Dan Hoffman tracked Jill and Tommy to New York, they'd changed their names, done everything they could to get away from him, and he still found them. I'm not sure if anywhere would've been safe from Dan Hoffman. Let's just get justice for them now. The only one to blame is Dan Hoffman."

Benson nodded and stepped away from Elliot. He watched Olivia collect herself and by the time the woman came back with the number to the attorney it was as if nothing had ever happened.

"Here's the attorney's name, number, and address" the woman said handing a slip of paper to Benson. Before letting go the woman had one last thing to say. "Please, make sure Dan Hoffman pays for what he did." The woman let go of the paper and Benson nodded.

The Attorney's office wasn't far from the domestic violence hotline center so Benson and Stabler left the car parked there and walked. Three blocks and a coffee later they entered the Law Office of Lane and Mancillas.

Paige Mancillas was a pleasant looking woman with blonde hair and dark brown eyes.

"Mrs. Mancillas, I'm Detective Stabler, and this is my partner Detective Benson. What can you tell us about Jill Hoffman?"

"I'll confirm Jill was my client, but anything else is privileged." Paige said, going behind her desk and taking a seat. The woman motioned for Benson and Stabler to do the same.

"She hired you to help her protect Tommy. We're trying to do the same thing." Stabler said.

"Where's Tommy now?"

"He's with a foster family, too traumatized to speak" Benson answered before Stabler could. "Tommy saw the attack, he spent the night trying to help Jill as she died."

"You sending him back to his father?" the attorney asked folding her arms across her chest.

"Unless you give us good reasons why we shouldn't" Stabler said trying to sound nonchalant while the voice inside his head was yelling 'no way in hell'.

"Jill married Dan Hoffman six years ago, well he told her they were married. They had a service, but he never got a marriage license, so it wasn't official. The abuse started soon after."

"Did Hoffman ever abuse Tommy" Benson asked. There had been picture of bruises in the file at the Domestic Violence Hotline Center, but most of them looked like normal childhood bumps and scrapes.

"Not that we could prove. Jill said it happened and I believe her, but the evidence she was able to collect was flimsy at best. He terrorized him psychologically. Jill knew it was only a matter of time before Hoffman turned his rage against his son, and beat him the way he would beat her."

"Any official complaints of abuse?" Stabler asked.

"Against Dan Hoffman? Respected member of the community? She thought no one would believe her." The attorney said with a scoff.

"You did" Benson argued.

"I know the signs. Jill and Tommy Hoffman were defiantly abused."

"So what was your plan?" Stabler asked.

"File for emergency custody. It was a long shot even with a good judge." Paige said with a shake of her head.

"You knew she'd lose." Benson voiced her realization out loud. "You told Jill to take Tommy didn't you?"

"I'm an officer of the court. If I abetted my client in the commission of a felony, I'd be disbarred." The attorney said in all seriousness. Benson and Stabler both knew she was lying though there was no way to prove it. What good would it do anyway? Putting the one person who really tried to help Jill Hoffman in jail would be wrong. Benson and Stabler left the office wishing only that Paige and Jill's plan would've worked.


	11. Domestic Dispute?

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Eleven: Domestic Dispute?

"What do you say we go pay a little visit to Dan Hoffman and the good town of Rye?" Stabler said as they left the attorneys office.

"Sure, just give me a minute to call the baby-sitter and tell her I might be a little late." Olivia said getting her phone out to dial the baby sitter.

"Wait, why don't I call Kathy and see if she'll pick him up when she get's the kids, that way he'll get to spend a little more time with Dickie and the girls, just in case." Stabler left the sentence unfinished but she knew what he was leading to. He wanted Tommy to be able to spend some extra time with his friends just in case he had to go back to Dan Hoffman. Finding the man was looking to be a two edged sword.

Olivia had had a hard time finding a baby sitter that she trusted to watch Tommy so Elliot recommended the woman who watched his kids after school. The woman, Marcy, was great with Tommy and she was willing to watch him during the day and Elliot's kids after school. Being there let Tommy spend time with the Stabler kids who he had grown attached to.

"You think Kathy would be willing to watch him?" Olivia asked as they walked to their car.

"Of course Liv, she loves Tommy." Elliot said before calling his wife.

"Hey Kathy, it's El. How's your day been? Good, I'm glad to hear it. Listen. Olivia and I are heading out to Rye, we've got a lead on Tommy's father. We might be a little late getting back into town. Would you mind taking Tommy home when you go get the kids? It should only be a couple of hours at the most. Thanks, I'll tell Liv. Love you." Elliot said before hanging up the phone.

"She said she's happy to watch Tommy, and that she'll take good care of him. And to make sure we put the bastard behind bars" Elliot said with a laugh.

The reached the car and Elliot unlocked the doors.

"You want to drive or should I" Elliot asked.

"You should drive, I'm not sure I'd be able to focus right now to be honest."

The drive to Rye was silent for the most part. Both Stabler and Benson were too occupied with their own thoughts to carry on a conversation.

They decided to go first to the Rye police station and see what they could find out about Dan Hoffman before confronting the man himself.

The police station was small but seemed to be working efficiently. They walked up to the front desk and asked to speak with a detective. The secretary pointed them in the direction of an overweight man with a bald patch, if he'd had a donut in his hand he would've been the stereotypical small town police officer.

"Detective?" Stabler asked walking up to the man.

"Chief actually, Chief Rossanno. What can I do for you?" He asked.

"I'm Detective Stabler, and this is my partner Detective Benson. We're from NYPD's Special Victims Unit, about Tommy Hoffman." Stabler said.

"Tommy Hoffman? Dan Hoffman's son?" Chief Rossanno asked shaking his head.

"Yes." Benson confirmed.

"No. You got your wires crossed. Tommy's down in Florida with his mom. Little winter getaway."

"Yeah? Anything go on in this town that you don't know about?" Benson asked.

Rossanno laughed, taking Benson's statement as a compliment. "I happened to bump into Dan last week at the Elks Club, he mentioned it."

"What kind of guy is Hoffman?" Stabler asked.

"Nicest guy in the world" the Chief answered. Successful real estate agent sells big houses to folks escaping crime in your city." Benson was beginning to see what the attorney meant. Hoffman had friends in the police department; he had a great reputation, and money. She would've had a hard time convincing the people of Rye that Dan Hoffman broke the speed limit, let alone trying to make them believe that he was abusive.

"Any history with family problems?" Benson asked.

"None, they're a good family."

"So your officers have never responded to a domestic dispute over at the Hoffman's" Elliot asked skeptically.

"You're barking up the wrong tree. Dan Hoffman's done more for this community than anybody." Rossanno said. The man turned and picked up a newspaper from a filing cabinet behind his desk. "Here, picture of him in the Rye Journal. I'm telling you, you must have the wrong Hoffman's, no way Dan's mixed up in anything."

Benson and Stabler left the Rye Police Station a little bit worse for the wear.

"Well that was a colossal waste of time. All anyone in there can do is sing Dan Hoffman's praises. They're supposed to be cops. Why can't any of them see Hoffman for the monster he is?" Benson said as she climbed into the front seat of their car.

"Do you want to do question Hoffman now?" Stabler asked gently.

"No, I want to go home. I want to see Tommy."


	12. Daddy

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Twelve: Daddy

"Hey Tommy you hungry?" Olivia asked. Tommy was at her desk staring at a coloring book. Coloring had become a favorite pastime for the boy and Olivia knew that something must be bothering the child if he didn't want to color.

Usually Tommy would go to Marcy's during the day, but after going to Rye the day before and realizing that Tommy might very well end up going back to live with his father, Olivia didn't want Tommy to spend the time he had left with a baby sitter instead of her. But she didn't think that a change in his schedule was the thing that was bothering him.

"Nope."

"You want to talk?" Benson asked gently. She knelt beside the boy placed a hand on his arm. Tommy shrugged his shoulders.

"Here, why don't we go to a quiet room and them you can tell me anything you want." Benson said. Tommy took her hand and led the way to the children's interview room. Before they entered Benson turned the video camera on, if Tommy was going to talk about his mom, she wanted it on tape, just in case it led somewhere. Tommy walked into the interview room, not noticing her turn on the camera

They sat down, Tommy on a bean bag and Olivia on the floor.

"You want to talk about your mommy?" Olivia asked.

Tommy nodded. "What about her?" She asked.

"She made me cookies and tucked me in every night" Tommy said with a smile.

"But then your mommy went away." Olivia said.

"She came back for me. We ran away from my dad" Tommy said looking down at his lap.

"It's okay, sweetie" Olivia said reassuring the boy. "Tommy, it's okay. You can tell me."

"We were gonna get a new house. Far away where my dad could never find us, but…"

"Go on" Olivia said. The boy was so close to giving her what she needed to lock Dan Hoffman up forever.

"TOMMY!" a man's voice yelled from outside the interview room.

Tommy jumped. "My dad, he's here." The boy started to hyperventilate; it was obvious that his father being so close was distressing to him. Olivia had no doubt that Dan Hoffman had murdered his wife and abused his son.

They heard pounding and the one way window vibrated. "TOMMY!" Dan Hoffman yelled again. "Tommy, come here. It's okay, Daddy's here." The door to the interview room was flung open. Olivia jumped to her feet. There in the doorway stood Dan Hoffman in all his glory.

Hoffman turned and handed Stabler a paper. "I need to see my son. You've had him here this whole time and no one has told me."

"Calm down. You're scaring him." Stabler said.

"I am his father. He needs me."

Olivia felt a tug on her hand. Tommy stood beside her. He had taken her hand in his. The boy shook his head back and forth. It was clear to her he didn't want to go. Olivia moved Tommy behind her. There was no way she was letting go anywhere with this _man._

"Hold on, slow down" Olivia said. She looked down at the boy holding her hand. "Tommy, you do not have to go with him, okay honey."

"Like hell he doesn't!' Hoffman said, advancing further into the room. "You can't stop me from taking him home."

"Released into the custody of his father" Elliot said passing her the paper Hoffman had given him earlier.

Hoffman pushed Olivia aside and picked Tommy up. The boy was stiff in his arms, so unlike when Olivia or Elliot picked him up. It was clear that Tommy was not comfortable in the man's embrace. His arms didn't wrap around his father's neck like they did when Elliot picked him up. And his legs didn't cross at the ankle like they did when he was in Olivia's arms. But mainly it was his eyes that spoke his true emotions.

Terror, pain, and sadness had filled his once happy blue eyes. Hoffman ignored the boys feels all the while proclaiming how happy he was to have found his son.

"Everything's going to be okay" Hoffman told Tommy before exiting the precinct with the child in his arms.

Olivia only wished she could believe it.

Olivia went to Elliot's side. She needed to be near someone who understood what she was feeling.

"Elliot, we can't let him stay with Hoffman. You know what that man did to Tommy and to Jill, we can't let him go back to that."

"I know Olivia. I'll call Alex, maybe she knows of a way we can get him back."

Olivia knew it wouldn't take Alex long to get to the precinct but the idea of just waiting horrified her. She couldn't just sit back while the little boy she loved was with a killer.

She paced the precinct, racking her brain for anything that might help them prove that Dan Hoffman killed Jill, anything that would put him in jail and get Tommy back with her. There was nothing that she could think of. Her frustration was building. Just as she was getting to the brink of crying ADA Cabot walked in.

"Cragen's office, now." She said, directing the order to Benson and Stabler. The two nodded and followed the woman into the Captain's office.

"Dan Hoffman's attorney called. She's threatening to sue for the emotional distress of withholding information on Tommy's whereabouts." Alex said with a shake of her head.

"Distress my ass. Hoffman didn't even file a missing persons report, and he's trying to jack us up?" Stabler ranted.

"We only delayed notification by a couple of hours." Benson pointed out.

"That's not the point" Alex argued. "You were playing fast and loose and you got caught."

"Well can you blame us Alex? Now the boy is in the custody of a killer." Cragen said defending his detectives.

"Alleged killer" Alex interjected. "All you have so far is your gut instinct that Hoffman murdered Jill. It could still be a burglary."

"Tommy was about to tell me what happened when his father showed up." Olivia said. "We need to re-interview him."

"Hoffman's attorney will fight it." Alex warned.

"So get a court order. Tommy is a material witness to the murder." Cragen said.

"I'll try, but some hard evidence on the homicide would go a long way with the judge."

Alex left Stabler and Benson to find the evidence they needed. She told them to contact her when they got something good.

Benson got on the phone and called the crime lab, Stabler called the neighbors to see if anyone remembered anything new.

Both came up with nothing of any importance.

"Maybe if we interview Hoffman he'll let something slip." Benson said hopefully.

"Looks like we might have to pay another visit to the good town of Rye."


	13. Dan

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Thirteen: Dan

Dan Hoffman's house was exactly like Benson expected. Big, imposing, and cold, a perfect lawn, the shrubs trimmed to exact measures, and not a single toy in sight.

They knocked on the door, maybe just a little too loudly, and waited for Hoffman to answer.

"Hello" he said cheerily swinging the door open, when he saw it was them the smile slipped off his face.

"Oh, it's you two again. What do you want?" Hoffman said his silky smooth voice failing to hide his displeasure.

"We're here to apologize about how we handled things." Benson said with a smile that anyone who knew her could tell was faked. Hoffman seemed fooled.

"Come in" he said swinging the door farther open and walking away leaving Benson and Stabler to follow in his wake.

Olivia couldn't help but to glance around for Tommy. He didn't seem to be in the house. In fact there wasn't much evidence that a child had ever been here.

It was so different from her house she was stunned, before thinking to herself that it wasn't entirely unexpected. She had only had Tommy for a short time but the evidence of him was all over their home. His drawings held places of honor; they were tapped to the refrigerator and the walls. His toys, both the ones the Stabler's had given him and the ones she had bought lay scattered on the floor as often as they were in his toy box. From the moment a visitor walked through the front door it was clear that a young child lived there, and Olivia loved it. That wasn't the case with the Hoffman residence. The home was impeccably clean, as if a maid went behind everyone in the house picking up before the discarded item could even touch the floor. There were no scuff marks from little boy sneakers on the hardwood floors, Olivia's apartment already sported numerous such marks. There were no coloring books left out in the open, at Olivia's home they never strayed far from the kitchen table.

Finally Olivia stopped herself from making anymore comparisons between the home she had provided for Tommy and the one he had here with his father but she was unable to stop herself from asking about the little boy she had come to love so deeply.

"Where's your son, Mr. Hoffman?" She asked in a pleasant sounding voice. She had had to force the word son out of her mouth. It felt so wrong to call this man Tommy's father. Dan Hoffman had only brought pain to his 'son's' life.

"He's upstairs in his room, taking a nap." Hoffman replied.

At that moment Olivia wished more than anything to run up the stairs, get Tommy, and go somewhere far away from Dan Hoffman, and she never even lived with the man. How much worst must've it been for Jill?

"He told me that you were his foster parent" Hoffman said directing his cold gaze at Olivia. She could tell that he wasn't happy about what he had found out.

"I was. Tommy is a wonderful boy. It was a pleasure having him in my home."

"It wasn't your place to have Tommy. You should've brought him back here. Surly Tommy told you were he lived. He knows his address. I'm sure Jill taught it to him" Hoffman said, accusation seeping into every word.

"He never told me where he lived. I asked him more than once. Every time I would bring it up, Tommy would go silent for days" Olivia defended. There was no way she was going to let Dan Hoffman insinuate that she had done any less that her best when handling Tommy.

Hoffman ignored the explanation and went to the counter. He poured himself a drink, not bothering to offer and to Olivia or Elliot. It's not as if they would've accepted it if he had.

"Well get on with the apologies then. Or haven't you two caused enough trouble already?"

Olivia nodded and shot a glance at Elliot. They needed to handle this carefully if they were going to get any information out of Dan Hoffman.

Swallowing back all the words she wanted to say, she put on a false concerned face and turned back to Dan Hoffman. She could do this.

"We're very sorry about the misunderstanding. You have both of our condolences on your loss." Benson said.

Dan nodded with a grim face, pretending now to be the grieving widower.

"Well, I appreciate your sympathies. But I'm still considering a lawsuit." Hoffman said failing to hide his grin. Now it was Elliot's turn.

"As a father I can only imagine how terrible this is for you" Elliot said, hating this man more and more with every moment he had to spend in the same room.

"I'm glad you understand." Hoffman said, failing back on his grieving widower routine.

Elliot's in was just what she needed to bring Tommy back into the conversation.

"How's Tommy doing?" she asked.

"Well I've consulted a psychologist who assures me that Tommy will make a full recovery" he said with an odd air of pride about him.

"Good, that's great news" Elliot said, trying to keep the grin off of his face. Hwong had said much the same thing, but it was still nice to hear that Tommy would be okay in time. Although part of Elliot was screaming inside that Tommy would never be okay, not as long as he was living with the man who had killed his mother.

"Mr. Hoffman, would you consider allowing us to speak with Tommy?"

"You had him for a month, wasn't that long enough for you? You want to take him from me just as he's starting to heal? No. I think time at home, time to heal is in my son's best interest." Hoffman stated.

"His best interest or yours?" Stabler questioned.

"You know what? I resent that, Detective. My wife was murdered. You of all people should understand. I'm only trying to protect my son. He told me about your children. About Maureen, Kathleen, Dickie, and Lizzie. Wouldn't you do anything you could to protect them?" Hoffman said, a trace of a threat lining his words.

Elliot's protective instincts flared in his chest, only Olivia's hand on his arm stopped him from ripping Dan Hoffman apart. Elliot looked down at the shorter man. Dan Hoffman wasn't worthy to say his children's names. The mere act of him voicing the names of the ones he loved tainted them. He could do nothing, at the moment, to get Tommy away from Dan Hoffman but he would make sure as hell that Dan Hoffman never came within a hundred feet of his children.

Olivia sensed Elliot's struggle and tried to move the conversation along. They were here for a reason after all. It would do no good if Dan Hoffman threw them out now.

"Well how were you protecting your son when he was gone for two months? You didn't even report him missing. You told everybody that Jill and Tommy were in Florida"

Dan flicked his gaze first to Elliot, then back to Olivia.

"Okay, you're right. I lied, but I was only trying to protect my wife's reputation. I didn't want anybody to know how emotionally unstable she was. I thought that I was doing the right thing."

"Didn't you want any help in trying to find her?" Elliot questioned.

"Yes" Hoffman exclaimed. "Of course I did but I was afraid going to the police would set her off. Look, she's always come back before. So, I waited. I was worried but I didn't know what else to do." His words sounded like those any innocent man would say in the same situation. It was only the blank, cold look in his eyes that told the truth about Dan Hoffman.

"Where were you the night Jill was murdered?" Benson asked. She knew it was a mistake the moment the words left her mouth. He was going to throw them out and they'd never get the proof they needed to charge him with Jill's murder.

Instead of kicking them out of his house, Dan Hoffman surprised them. He answered her question.

"I was in the city at the Realtors' Association dinner. 500 of my colleagues will support that."

Now she realized why he had answered. He thought that he had gotten away with it. He had an alibi that obviously he thought was fool proof. Well they say that pride comes before a fall, and Olivia had a feeling that this was going to be Dan Hoffman's undoing.


	14. Dance

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Fourteen: Dance

Who would've guessed that the proof they needed would be in a dance or rather in a dance that never happened.

Benson and Stabler checked out Dan Hoffman's alibi and it turned out that he had indeed been at the Realtors' Association dinner. Benson had called the Realtors' Association the moment they walked in the precinct and asked if he had signed in at the Dinner and when she was told he had her heart stopped. It seemed at first that they were wrong about Dan Hoffman.

Both Benson and Stabler were sure that Dan Hoffman had murdered Jill and neither one was going to give up just because it seemed like he had a solid alibi.

They decided to interview everyone sitting at Dan Hoffman's table the night of the Realtors' Association dinner. The Realtors' Association gave them the names and addresses of everyone who had been at Dan Hoffman's table as well and the names and numbers of the bar tenders. They were now on their way to the first name on the list.

They arrived at Stephanie Mitchell's home in the suburbs in the middle of the day. The sun was shining and a few kids were playing out on the lawn. With a quick hello to the children Benson and Stabler hurried to the door. They were both anxious to find out if Ms. Mitchell had any information.

Benson reached out and knocked on the large wood door. Within moments a breathless middle aged woman answered.

"Hello, can I help you?" The woman asked between pants.

"I'm Detective Stabler and this" he said showing his badge and pointing to Benson "is my partner Detective Benson." The woman nodded her understanding.

"Are you Ms. Stephanie Mitchell?" Benson asked.

"Yes" the woman gulped, wiping the beads of sweat off her forehead. "What's happened? Is it my husband?" Mrs. Mitchell's face paled and her grip on the door tightened.

"No, ma'am. I'm sure your husband is alright. We're here to talk to you about the Realtors Association dinner. May we come in?" Benson asked.

"Yes, of course. Come on in." she opened the door wider and stepped out of the way. Leading them to living room, she asked if they wanted any tea or water.

"No, thanks. We just have a few questions and we'll be on our way." Stabler replied.

"Please, sit." She motioned to a sofa across from the chair she had sat in. "Now, you said you had questions about the Dinner?"

"Yes. On the seating chart we were given it said you were seated next to Dan Hoffman. What can you tell me about him and his behavior on that night." Benson asked.

The woman before them blushed. "Dan Hoffman… well…. He was there. He said he would dance with me but we didn't get the chance. I know he went to the bar for a bit, after that I didn't see him for a while. The next time I saw him I was making the rounds, networking you know? The dinner was about to end and I wanted to make some connections. Anyway, he was all hot and sweaty; I wish he had danced with me that way. I stopped him, we were going to exchange business cards, but he didn't have any. I went to call the baby-sitter and say I was on my way home, and by then he was gone."

"So, when did Dan Hoffman leave the bar? You said that he left the table, went to the bar, and after that you lost track of him until the end of the Dinner."

"Well it must've been around 8:30. I was going outside to call the house so I could talk to the kids before they went to bed." Mrs. Mitchell answered.

"And when did you see him next?" Benson followed up.

"About 10:30. The dinner ended at 11:00 and I wanted to get all the networking I could in before it was over."

"Alright, thank you Mrs. Mitchell. You've been very helpful. If we have any more questions we'll give you a call." Stabler said.

Benson and Stabler left and hurried back to the precinct. They both wanted to call the rest of the names the Realtors Association had given them to see if they would all back up Mrs. Mitchell's story.

The split the names between the two of them and started to make calls. After each call they'd fill in each other on what they had learned.

"Frank Holden said he and Dan talked at around 8:20 and Dan told him that he was stepping out for some air." Benson said.

"Grant Markey said he saw Hoffman coming back into the ballroom a little after 10. He said he couldn't nail down the exact time, but he was sure it was after midnight."

It went one like that until every name on the list had been called. No one at the Realtors Association dinner had seen Dan Hoffman from 8:25 until 10:15.

Dan Hoffman's alibi was shot.


	15. Defend

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Fifteen: Defend

Dan Hoffman's undoing came quickly after his alibi fell apart. He tried to claim that an unstable Jill had kidnapped Tommy after Dan had asked her for a divorce. While there was no evidence to support his claim that Jill was in anyway unstable, both Benson and Stabler knew that if Dan were allowed to get in front of a jury he would be able to charm them into believing ever word that came out of his mouth.

At the hearing Alex had gotten Hoffman's attorney to agree to let Benson and Stabler interview him at the precinct.

Together Benson and Stabler entered the interview room and appraised the man sitting before them. Dan Hoffman looked relaxed as he leaned back in the hard metal chair. He had his arms folded across his chest and a smirk spread on his face as they entered. His lawyer looked much more professional but Olivia couldn't help herself, she hated this woman nearly as much as she hated Hoffman. What kind of person could defend a murderer?

Stabler took a seat across the table from Hoffman and the lawyer while Benson chose to stay standing. She wanted to be able to move around without it appearing that she was nervous.

Dan grinned again and Stabler started his questioning.

"Well for starters let's talk about that gap in your alibi. Where were you for that hour and a half?"

"It was a boring rubber chicken dinner. I went to the bar for a drink" Hoffman said not breaking a sweat.

"Try again. We checked, the bar tender doesn't remember you" Benson said.

"Why would he?" Hoffman questioned. "It was a mob scene so I went outside to get some fresh air."

"For an hour and a half?" Stabler asked unconvinced.

"I chatted with some people" Hoffman added.

"Just give us their names and we're done here" Stabler said, sure he had trapped the man in a lie.

"I don't know their names. I mean, you don't ask for ID when you're chatting about the Yankee' scouting report" and just like that Hoffman wriggled his way out of another tight spot. The man was like a snake, it was impossible to trap him.

"There you are, at a dinner dance, less than four miles from Jill's apartment. You jump in a cab, you're there in less than fifteen minutes" Stabler said.

"If I had known where my wife lived, I would've gone there and I would've convinced her to come home" Hoffman said quietly, acting the part of a grieving widower.

"I thought you wanted a divorce?" Stabler questioned, pointing out yet another flaw in Hoffman's story.

"I wanted my son back. I mean, if my wife wanted to leave, that's fine, but I wasn't going to let her take my son" Hoffman said.

"You got an answer for everything, don't you?" Benson questioned. "I'm not buying your loving father act. Tommy's terrified of you."

"My son is everything to me. I would die for my son" Hoffman replied.

"Tommy almost died for you!" Benson said unable to restrain herself. "You killed Jill, and then you left him alone in that apartment. And had firefighters not responded so fast, then you'd be burying him along with your dead wife" Benson added getting in Hoffman's face.

"You wouldn't dare talk to me like that if you didn't have that badge and gun" Hoffman said, leaning forward, closer the distance between himself and Benson.

"Alright, I think this interview is over Detectives" Hoffman's lawyer said as she stood.

Benson nodded and backed away from the table. Hoffman and the attorney left, and Benson and Stabler followed them out of the small room watching them leave the precinct.

"You notice in the interview, Hoffman never called Tommy or Jill by their names? It was always, "my wife," "my son"." Olivia asked her partner.

"Possessions, not people. Dan Hoffman owned his family" Elliot added, "he had to punish Jill for leaving.

"Power and control. It's the classic signs of a batterer" Olivia said.

"Well, so far we can't even prove that he found Jill" Elliot said as they walked back to their desks.

"I may have something to help you on that" Munch said when he heard Elliot. The older detective stood from his desk and brought them a small piece of paper.

"She opened a new checking account under the name Dana McGuire. I talked to the real Mrs. McGuire. It's not hers" Munch said with a shake of his head as he handed Elliot the paper.

"So it's Jill's" Benson concluded. "She write any checks?"

"No. She made cash withdrawals and deposited a couple of paychecks from J.A.G. Enterprises" Munch told them.

"Jill was working" Stabler said with a smile. It was a lead, just when they needed one most.

"Yeah, as an entertainer at Benny's Topless on 12th" Munch said. "There's the address if you want to go check it out" Munch said as he pointed the paper he had handed them.


	16. Doppelganger

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Sixteen: Doppelganger

And check it out they did. Benson and Stabler went straight to Benny's Topless from the precinct. When they arrived at the small strip joint they met the owner, a middle age man with a kind face. Benny let them in, and gave his employees express permission to speak with the detectives. They listened as the older man told the women working that Jill had been murdered and if anyone knew anything they were to tell the detectives.

Benson was grateful to the man for his understanding. All too often they were met with resistance. Benny nodded to Benson and Stabler and left them to speak with Jill's coworkers in the dressing room.

"Jill was real sweet, but she was a lousy dancer" Cherry told them. The woman, who looked to be a few years older than Benson, had purple highlights in her hair, and was wearing an outfit that showed off more than it covered.

"Why'd they hire her?" Stabler asked puzzled.

"Lot of commuters stop in on their way back to the burbs. Jill looked like Susie Homemaker, that turned them on. One guy said it was like having June Cleaver give you a lap dance" the woman said as she sat down.

"Why did Jill quit?" Benson asked.

"I'm not sure, but she had a major freak out the day before she quit" the woman said as she reached out to pet her bird. Stabler didn't want to think about what the bird was for.

"Over what?" Stabler asked.

"Uh, she saw a guy in the crowd she knew from the town she used to live in."

"She mention his name?" Stabler asked after shooting Benson a look.

"No, but a few days later she was gone" the woman said with a sad frown. It was clear that Jill's death had affected her.

"Do you happen to remember what day that was on?"

"It was a month ago, Tuesday. I remember because that was the night I introduced the Cockatoo into my act" Cherry said pointing to the large bird.

Benson and Stabler nodded and tried not to think about what function the bird had played in the show.

"Okay, thank you" Benson said as she and Stabler turned to leave.

"Hey" Cherry called out, trying to get their attention. "Nail the prick, will you?"

"We'll do our best" Stabler answered the woman.

"Let's check the credit card receipts, see who came in from Rye" Benson said as they left the dressing room.

Benny gave them the box of receipts from the week Jill had seen the man. It didn't take long for them to find the one they were looking for. Only one man from Rye had come in that entire week.

"Mr. Rizzo it is" Stabler said holding up the winning receipt.

"Let's go pay him a visit" Benson said standing.

The drive to Rye was becoming all too familiar to Benson and Stabler. Benson longed for the day that she wouldn't have to go back there… As long as Tommy was with her that is.

The found Rizzo's house with a little help from their GPS and soon enough they were knocking at the man's door.

"Paul Rizzo?" Stabler asked as the man answered the door.

"Yes? Can I help you?" The bald man asked.

"Yeah, I'm Det. Stabler, and this is my partner Det. Benson. Can we come in? We have a few questions to ask you" Stabler said with a smile and flash of his badge.

The man nodded his head and swung the door wide for them to enter.

"Please sit. How can I help you detectives?" the short man asked motioning them to a sofa in the living room.

"Mr. Rizzo, you're a big spender over there at Benny's Topless" Benson said with little preamble. The man's face blanched as he sunk into a chair across from them.

"Look, you can't tell my wife. She thinks I work a lot of overtime" the man said.

"So help us out here and she won't have to find out" Stabler said.

"Whatever you need" the man said quickly.

"You know Dan Hoffman?" Benson asked.

"Yeah, great guy" the Paul Rizzo answered wringing his hands. "I handle a lot of his closing out of my office here in Rye.

"Did you take Hoffman to the strip club, you know, boys night out?" Stabler asked.

"No, but I tried. Especially after I saw that stripper" Rizzo said with a smile. "She's a dead ringer for his wife" the man said with an unfortunate choice of words.

"Did you tell Hoffman about this stripper?" Stabler asked, while Benson tried to quietly collect herself. This man was the unknowing link that led to Jill's death.

"I called him on my way home, you know, thought he'd get a kick out of it" the man said uncomprehending of the gravity of that call. "Put her in an apron baking cookies, half the town would swear it was Jill".

They had what they needed from the man and they left. On the way back to the city they called Alex over the SUV's Bluetooth.

"No one spotted Dan Hoffman in the strip club, but he didn't have to go inside the joint" Benson started.

"Once he knew where Jill worked it would've been easy enough to follow her home" Stabler said taking over. "The night of the dinner dance, he slips out, he kills her."

"I mean, it's almost the perfect crime. Except for the fact that his alibi has a hole you can drive a truck through. Nobody at the dance remembers seeing him for a full hour and forty five minutes" Benson added.

"What do you say Counselor, we got probable cause?" Stabler asked.

"It's all circumstantial, but it's enough for an arrest" Alex's voice came through the car's speakers.

"Well don't sound so happy Alex" Olivia joked.

"We may not survive the grand jury" Alex said.

"Why not?" Benson asked.

"Dan Hoffman will testify. His "Father of the Year" act has everyone fooled. He's handsome, charismatic, and he plays the grieving widower very well" Alex said. "I think Mr. Wonderful is going to dirty up the victim and the jury might not indict."

"Stop him from testifying" Stabler told her, his grip on the steering wheel tightened as he struggled to control his emotions.

"I can't. Once he's arrested, it's his right. His attorney will serve notice at arraignment" Alex said.

"So we're stuck" Benson said as she looked at the scenery passing by through the window.

"I could do a silent indictment without arresting him" Alex said, and Benson could hear the smile through the phone. Her friend had an idea. "If I present the facts to the grand jury as part of an investigation in the homicide, I'm not obligated to notify Hoffman. If the defense is out of the loop, then Hoffman can't assert his right to testify. I'll indict him in the morning. Then you can pick him up."

One day, Benson thought to herself. In just one more day, Dan Hoffman might be on his way to prison, and Tommy would be back with her… maybe.


	17. Disimmure

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Seventeen: Disimmure

The grand jury hearing had gone well and Benson and Stabler had gotten the go ahead to arrest Dan Hoffman. So this time, when they were once again on their way to Rye it was with anticipation. It had been nearly a week since Tommy had been given back to his father and Benson and Stabler had been going out of their minds with worry for the little boy.

For a four year old to live with the man he had watched murder his mother was unthinkable, and the possibilities of what Hoffman might be doing to Tommy were always on their minds.

The drove as fast as possible to the Hoffman residence, Benson and Stabler in on vehicle and a few back up officers in a squad car following close behind. As they pulled up to the house Benson saw Tommy playing outside in the front yard. He was kicking a soccer ball into a small net.

At the sound of an approaching car Tommy looked up from his play. Olivia watched the joy spread across his face as he recognized Elliot's SUV. Elliot parked the car and Olivia was out of it in seconds. Tommy abandoned his ball and raced to Olivia. The woman dropped to her knees and caught the running boy as he plowed into her. Her arms wrapped around the child and held on tight as if he would disappear of she did not.

"Tommy" she said before kissing his temple. It felt so nice to hold him again. It had been much too long.

"Mama Liv! Are we goin' home?" He asked, pulling back to look at her face.

Before she could answer he caught sight of Elliot.

"El! You came too!" Tommy left her embrace and ran to Elliot. The tall man caught the boy and swung him up into his arms.

"I missed you" Tommy told him with a smile. "Daddy said that you wouldn't even come for him. I didn't believe him. I told him that you love me, and that Mo, and Kathleen, and Lizzie, and Dickie love me too. He didn't believe me" Tommy said. "Mama Liv? You love me right? Daddy was wrong right?" Tommy asked as he looked at her from Elliot's arms.

"Tommy, I love you to the farthest star and back" Olivia told the little boy, repeating an often uttered phrase between her and her foster son. Tommy grinned and reached out for her to take him. Just as she was about to pull Tommy into her arms the door to the Hoffman residence was thrown open and Dan Hoffman came rushing out.

Tommy pulled his arms back and wrapped them around Elliots neck. Tommy burryed his head in the crooke of Elliot's neck and his entire body tensed up as his father yelled.

"Tommy, get back inside! Now Tommy!" Hoffman yelled as he walked across the lawn towards them.

"Put my son down and let him come inside" Hoffman told Elliot. When the detective did nothing of the sort Dan Hoffman resorted to threatening.

"All right, that's it. I'm calling my attorney. I'm gonna file a restraining order against you both and then sue for harassment" Hoffman said.

Elliot looked down at the boy in his arms and told him "I need you to go with Liv, okay?"

Tommy said nothing, but nodded his head and let Elliot pass him to Olivia. Once the boy was safe with Olivia and the two of them were walking away, back to the other police officers and his SUV, Elliot turned to face Hoffman.

"You wanna make a call?" he asked. "Tell her to meet you at Rikers. Turn around" Stabler said pulling a pair of handcuff out.

"You can't prove anything" Hoffman said.

"Turn. Around." Stabler repeated once more, before Hoffman did as he was told. "The grand jury disagrees" he said, as he slapped the cuffs on Hoffman's wrists.

"Dan Hoffman, you're under arrest for the murder of Jill Hoffman. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say, can and will, be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights, as I have explained them too you?" Stabler said as he Mirandized, Dan Hoffman.

It was a long time in coming but, justice was finally on its way for Jill and Tommy.

Olivia and Tommy watched as Stabler placed a handcuffed Hoffman into the back of the cruiser.

"Is Daddy going to jail Liv?" Tommy asked.

"For now Tommy. He'll go to jail for a little bit until he goes to court. Once he goes to court he'll ask the judge if he can be let out of jail while the judge and jury decide what his punishment will be. We won't know if he's going to stay in jail forever, for a little while. Do you understand?" Olivia asked as he buckled the four year old into his carseat. Explaining the justice system to a young child as difficult, but she wanted to prepare him for any outcome. To lie and tell him that his father was going away for good, before she knew it was true, would be wrong and would only hurt him.

"So he'll be gone for a little bit, and then he might get out for a little bit, until the judge decides if he'll go away for good?" Tommy asked.

"Yes, that's it" Olivia praised.

"Liv?" Tommy asked quietly.

"Yes baby?"

"I hope he goes away for good" Tommy said solemnly.

Olivia's heart broke for the little boy, no child should have to go through with this, she thought to herself as she climbed in the front seat. She just hoped this all would be over soon. Tommy deserved the chance to move on.

**AN: This story is finally winding down; I think it will be finished within a couple weeks. Oh, and the title to this chapter mean "to free" so I thought it was fitting for this chapter. Don't forget to review. **


	18. Denied

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Eighteen: Denied

While Dan Hoffman was spending the night in lock-up, Tommy was at his welcome back party. When Kathy had heard that he was coming back she had packed up the kids and took them to Party City to buy everything that was needed for a welcome home party. Once they got to the store she let the kids pick out whatever they thought Tommy would like. When it was all said and done, they ended up with a set of Transformer plates, a Superman piñata, a lime green welcome home banner, a bag of Diego birthday balloons, and bright orange spoons. All in all, Kathy put it down as a win.

They brought it back to Olivia's apartment and used the extra key she'd given the Stabler's to get in and set everything up. Kathy had the foresight to call Elliot and tell him what was going on, deciding that surprises two armed cops wasn't the best way to start off a party.

When Tommy walked in and saw his friends holding balloons and a banner saying "welcome back" he grinned and ran forward to hug them.

"Dickie, Mo, Kathleen, Lizzie! You're here! I missed you" Tommy said addressing each one of them. They all crowed around Tommy and gave him a huge bear hug that left the little boy grinning from ear to ear.

"Ms. Kathy! You're here too!" Tommy said giving Kathy a hug. Kathy hugged the little boy back, happy that he was safe with Olivia and away from his monster of a father.

"If it's okay with your Mama Liv, there's cake and ice cream that the kids really want to eat with you" Kathy said looking to Olivia for permission.

Olivia nodded with a smile and Tommy and the others ran to the table to eat their cake and ice cream.

"Kathy, this is amazing. Thank you so much for thinking of Tommy" Olivia told the other woman before pulling her into a hug.

Kathy hugged her back before saying "it was nothing. He's a wonderful boy, who's been through too much. I just wanted him to be happy. And the kids really missed him. I think they needed to see him as much as he needed to see them."

When they parted Elliot pulled his wife into a close embrace, kissing her softly. Olivia left to watch the kids, needed to see that Tommy really was okay. Elliot looked down at his wife and whispered to her, "you just made a friend for life. She won't forget what you did for Tommy. She loves that boy more than anything in the world, and you showed her that you love him too. She won't forget this."

Kathy smiled and pulled Elliot closer. She hadn't done it because she wanted recognition; she'd done it because she wanted Tommy to know that he had been missed and that everyone was happy for him to be back. To her that was most important. During the month that he had lived with Olivia, and all the time he had come over to her house to play with the kids, Kathy had come to love the energetic little boy, and she was just as happy as her children to have him back in her life.

"Want some ice cream?" Kathy asked with a grin, pulling him by the hand into Olivia's dining room where the children and Olivia were already eating.

The next day found Benson and Stabler at the arraignment hearing. They sat behind Alex and listened to the court hearing, knowing they had no power over how it went. But at the same time, needing to be there and see for themselves how it was going.

"How does the defendant plead?" the judge asked, on the count of murder in the second degree.

"Not guilty, Your Honor" Hoffman said as he stood.

"The people request remand, Your Honor" Alex said, asking that Hoffman be kept in jail, rather than released on bail.

"My client is a community leader with no criminal record" Hoffman's lawyer said. "And the sole caretaker of his son."

"Well, he wouldn't be a single parent if he hadn't killed his wife" Alex said, baffled that they would dare use Jill not being there, as a reason to let Hoffman out on bail.

"Control yourself, " Judge Ridenour reprimanded. "Bail is $100,000 in cash or bond."

"We request a speedy trial date. My client is eager to prove his innocence, an opportunity the A.D.A. denied him in the grand jury" Hoffman's lawyer said, making it known that she hadn't forgotten the way Alex had gotten around the law.

"The district attorney in under no obligation to inform him…" Alex began before she was interrupted by the judge.

"I know the law, , and I also know your reputation for bending it" he said from his place on the bench.

Alex looked at him and quoted " "a child's mental health is at risk" your words. We didn't want to further traumatize Tommy Hoffman by having his father arrested prematurely" she said.

"Anything else?" Ridenour asked the two attorneys.

"Motion to preclude any witnesses stating that Jill Hoffman told them she'd been abused" Hoffman's lawyer said as she handed first Alex, then the judge her motion.

"Jill Hoffman was emotionally distraught when she spoke to the domestic violence shelter staff. Her remarks clearly qualify under the excited utterance exception to the hearsay rule" Alex argued.

"But, Your Honor, admitting them violates my client's constitutional right to confront and cross-examine his accuser. It's unduly prejudicial" Hoffman's lawyer protested.

"I'm here to get justice for a woman who's no longer able to seek it for herself. To take away her only defense, to literally take away her words is wrong. Motion denied. The out-cry witnesses are allowed" Ridenour announced from the bench.

Benson wanted to cheer from her place in the audience. As Hoffman and his lawyer left the courtroom, he shot Benson and Stabler a glare. But seeing him in handcuffs took the sting out of it and Benson had to stop herself from laughing in his face. Alex turned around and looked at them.

"I think we need more than the out-cry witnesses. I think they need to hear from Tommy" Alex said. Before Olivia or Elliot could object she continued. "He saw it, and once the jury finds out that this man, not only killed his wife, but it so in front of their young son. Well, I can almost guarantee you that they'll send him away from life."

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other. What Alex said made sense, but neither one of them were sure that they wanted to have to put Tommy up on the stand.

"Tommy's testimony would convict Hoffman" Alex reiterated. "Has he told you what happened yet?"

"No, but that's only because I haven't questioned him about it" Olivia said. "The judge's order still stands. I'm not allowed to ask Tommy anything about the case, right? You said even if he told me exactly what happened, it would be thrown about because of the judge's order."

"No, you're right, but if you did ask him, do you think he'd be able to tell you?"

"Yes" Olivia admitted.

"Well then we can subpoena Tommy for the trial" Alex said, once again finding a way around the law.

"It's a hell of a gamble to put a traumatized child on the stand unprepared. Besides, Hoffman may have coached Tommy to say that a stranger did it" Stabler said.

"It's a chance we'll have to take. We don't have any other choice" Alex said.

"Alright. If this is what we need to do to get Hoffman in prison for life, then let's do it" Benson said, resigning herself to the fact.

Just as she and Elliot were about to leave, Alex stopped them.

"There's one more thing" Alex said carefully. "We need to place Tommy with another foster family. We can't give the defense the opportunity to refute Tommy's testimony with a claim that you coached Tommy to say that Hoffman did it."

Olivia wanted more than anything to say no, but deep down she knew it had to be done. What good would it do to keep Tommy for now, only to lose him forever because his father got away with murder?

"For how long?" Olivia asked. Elliot looked at her in surprise. She hadn't even fought for the boy.

"Hoffman asked for a speedy trial. I'd say we can be done with this in as little as two weeks" Alex said sympathetically.

"Find him a good one Alex" Benson said before leaving the courthouse.

She had a little boy to say goodbye to.


	19. Delay

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Nineteen: Delay

Elliot raced after Olivia and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.

"Liv, I know it's hard to lose him again, but this is the only way we have a chance to win the case. If you let him go for a little bit, you'll get him forever" Elliot said, sliding his hand down her arm and taking her smaller hand into his.

"I know Elliot. I said yes didn't I?" she questioned quietly.

"Yes, you did. I just want you to know that I get it. I know that you love him and that this is what's best for him. Alex will find a great foster home for him, and in just a few weeks, you'll have him back for good."

"Thanks El. I think I'm just going to pick him up from the sitters early so I have time to explain this all to him before Alex calls me with the address to drop him off at. I'll see you later okay?"

"Sure" he said sadly. He knew how much this was affecting her. Whether she wanted to show it or not. As Olivia walked away Elliot called out after her.

"Tell him I said 'see ya later' okay? Let him know I'll miss him until he comes back, please" Elliot asked.

Olivia turned and smiled a sad smile. "Of course I will El." And then she was gone.

Tommy was ecstatic when he opened the door of his babysitters home and found Olivia on the other side.

"Mama Liv!" he yelled as he raced forward to give her a hug. "Are we going home early?"

"We sure are buddy. I've got some things I need to talk to you about and they're really important. Why don't you go grab your coat and tell Marcy bye, and we'll go" Olivia instructed the boy.

Minutes later and they were back on the road, heading home to Olivia's apartment. Tommy passed the time singing nursery songs, amusing both himself and Olivia. All too soon the ride was over and they were riding the elevator up to Olivia's apartment. Olivia decided to give Tommy supper before she told him, wanting to make sure that he was fed before he had to leave.

She let him pick what he wanted to eat, and was slightly disappointed when he chose Spaghetti O's. Part of her wished that he'd choose something that took a little longer to make so she could put off the inevitable. But it wasn't meant to be. Five minutes later and the little boy was chowing down on his bowl of Spaghetti O's, while Olivia left hers untouched. When he was done she helped him put his bowl in the sink and wash his hands and face, then she took him over to the sofa and they sat down.

"Tommy, I have to tell you something and while I do, I want you to remember that it's only for a little while okay?" Olivia asked.

Tommy looked confused but nodded anyway. He seemed to understand how important this conversation was because he was calmer than usual. He sat beside her on the couch and folded his little hands in his lap while he waited for her to continue.

"Your daddy's trial is about to begin and while it's going you and I can't live with each other. The judge and the lawyers need to be sure that I'm not lying to you, or telling you what to think or say" Olivia told him.

Tommy looked like he was about to cry and Olivia knew she wasn't far from that point either. She rushed to soothe Tommy's fears.

"You remember what I said when we first sat down?" she asked gently.

Tommy nodded and said, "that it's only for a little while."

"That's right, it's only for a little while. And then when the trial is all over you can come back home and we can be together again okay?" Olivia asked.

"K" Tommy said.

"Alright, so we need to go pack you a bag of all your favorite clothes and toys, and then when Ms. Alex calls we'll go and check out the place you'll be staying. Ms. Alex thinks it will only be for about two weeks, and then you can come back here. Okay?"

"K" Tommy said again. This time he couldn't hold the tears in and they fell freely from his eyes. Olivia pulled him onto her lap and cradled him to her.

"Baby it's okay. It's only for a little while, and the family is going to be very nice. Shh, baby, don't cry" Olivia said as she tried to soothe her foster son.

When he stopped crying she decided to tell him the other news.

"Tommy, during the trail Ms. Alex and the other lawyer will call other people to the courtroom to tell them what they know about what happened to you mommy, and Ms. Alex thinks it's a really good idea to let you tell the court what you know. So in about two weeks Ms. Alex is going to come to the home that you're staying in and she's going to get you and bring you to the courthouse. And you'll get to sit in a really big chair and talk to a really nice judge, and Ms. Alex, and to another lawyer, and they're going to ask you about what you saw the night your mommy died. And when you're done answering their questions, you can come home. Do you understand?" Olivia asked.

"Yes" Tommy said, wiping the few remaining tears from his eyes.

"Okay, then let's go pack that bag so we don't forget anything okay?" Olivia asked with a smile, trying her best to look happy with the situation.

Tommy took her hand and together they headed to his bedroom to pack.

She pulled a duffel bag from the top of his closet while he went to his dresser and started pulling out shirts. Olivia tossed the open bag on the bed and went to his closet to get a few of his nicer shirts.

"Mama Liv, can I bring this shirt?" Tommy asked holding up an Old Navy Vintage T.

"Of course baby. Bring anything you want. Just remember, you'll be back in two weeks and all the stuff you leave will be here waiting for you."

Tommy smiled and shoved the top in the bag alongside the tops Olivia had already chosen. Tommy went around the room, picking his favorite toys to take along with him, leaving Olivia to finish packing his clothes.

She picked out seven pairs of jeans and few more t-shirts and neatly folded them before placing them in the duffel bag. The toys Tommy brought her she placed in his small Superman backpack.

When they were done she zipped up the backpack and Tommy zipped the duffel bag. Olivia picked Tommy up and settled him on her hip. "What do you say we go watch a movie before we have to leave?" Olivia asked her little boy.

"Yes!" Tommy said with a smile, showing enthusiasm for the first time since Olivia had broke the news to him.

They left the bags on the bed and went to the living room to pick out a movie. Like she knew he would, Tommy chose Cars, and together they settled down on the sofa to watch two hours of Lightning McQueen and his friends.

Lightning McQueen was in the middle of paving the main road in Radiator Springs for the second time, when Alex called with the address of the foster family. She took down the address and then went back to watching the movie with her son. Alex could wait, the foster family could wait. She and Tommy had a movie to watch.


	20. Departure

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Twenty: Departure

All too soon the movie ended and it was time to go. The address of the foster family was on the other side of the city in an affluent neighborhood. At least Tommy would be safe there, Olivia thought to herself. They drove across the city in silence. Gone was Tommy's singing, and she longed for the day when he would be back for good and would feel like singing again.

When they reached the town house, Olivia pulled into the short driveway and got out of the car. The bright red door opened and Alex stepped out onto the stairs out front. Olivia got out of the car and helped Tommy get out of his booster seat.

Tommy pulled the Superman backpack onto his small shoulders and Olivia took the duffel bag in one hand and held Tommy's hand in the other.

"Okay Tommy, let's go this" Olivia said to her little boy.

Tommy nodded and together they walked up the stairs to the front door.

"Hey Liv, hey Tommy, come in and I'll introduce you to the Becketts" Alex said as the topped the steps.

Olivia and Tommy nodded identically and followed Alex into the home. It was charming in its own way. The entry way was bright and inviting and toys littered the floor, telling Olivia that other children lived here. She hoped Tommy would get along with them. All of a sudden a couple appeared at the other end of the entry way. They were both tall with blonde hair and eyes that shown with friendliness.

"Hi" the woman said. "I'm Dawn Beckett, and this is my husband Jeremy."

"Hello, I'm Olivia, and this is Tommy" Olivia said as she completed the round of introductions.

"Now Tommy, we hear that you're going to stay with us for a couple weeks, and we're really excited about that" Jeremy said with a kind smile.

"How about we show you and Olivia around?" Dawn asked.

Olivia and Tommy nodded and followed the couple as they retreated back out of the entryway.

"This is the kitchen and through there is the living room and the dining room. Not much to see down here to be honest. Upstairs is much more interesting" Jeremy said as he pointed to the different areas.

Tommy and Olivia followed the couple up the staircase, and Alex brought up the rear, trailing slowly behind letting Olivia and Tommy look around.

"This is the playroom" Dawn said with a flourish as she waved to the immense room they entered into. "You can play with any toy in here, but we always pick up when we're done."

"Now how about we check out the room you'll be staying in?" Jeremy asked looking at Tommy.

Tommy reluctantly nodded and then looked to Olivia, seeming to ask if it was okay that he wanted to see the room. Olivia smiled reassuringly at the little boy and followed him into a room that branched off from the play room.

It was a beautiful room for a little boy. Baby blue walls with clouds and the occasional airplane painted by a talented hand adorned the walls. The bed had a blue and brown stripped cover and the bed was pristine white. The model airplanes that sat atop the dressers gave the room the impression that it was for a child Tommy's age or just a little bit older, instead of a nursery.

Tommy grinned as he looked around, but it wasn't the happiest smile she'd seen on his face. Olivia could tell that he liked the room; the only thing that would make it better was if it was at Olivia's home.

Olivia looked at her little boy and smiled. "Why don't you unpack your things while I talk to Dawn and Jeremy?"

"You're not leaving yet, are you?" Tommy asked, worried that she would leave him without saying goodbye.

"No, not yet. I just need to talk to them for a minute" Olivia reassured him.

Dawn and Jeremy followed her out of Tommy's temporary room and back into the playroom where Alex had been waiting.

"There's not all that much that you need to know about Tommy. He likes crust on his sandwiches, but they need to be cut diagonally. He sleeps with a nightlight, and the closet door has to be closed. He'll want to talk about his mom, but if I were you I wouldn't bring up his dad. He'll shut down for days if you do that. I'm not sure what else I can tell you. You can call me any time, night or day, but I'd prefer that you didn't do it in front of Tommy. I'm can't have any contact with him, and if he knows you're talking to me and he can't it'll just upset him" Olivia said.

Jeremy and Dawn listened carefully, and Olivia could tell that they were honestly interested in making Tommy's stay with them as positive as possible.

"We'll can you if we have any questions, and every night to update you on his day. Olivia, these next two weeks will go by fast and he'll be back with you. In the mean time, we'll take good care of him" Dawn assured Olivia.

"Oh before I forget" Olivia said handing Dawn a CD she had burned earlier that night. "It's just a song that I sing to Tommy every night. Will you play it for him tomorrow?"

"Of course" Dawn said, carefully holding the CD.

Dawn and Jeremy left her alone to say goodbye to Tommy and Alex left with them. Olivia took a deep breath as she entered Tommy's temporary room.

"Tommy, I've got to go" Olivia said as she sat down on the bed next to him. Tommy looked up at her with big, sad eyes and frowned.

"Dawn and Jeremy are going to take good care of you. After you go and talk to the court and when the trial is over, we'll be back together. It'll only be two weeks, that's just fourteen days" Olivia said.

"I don't want you to go" Tommy moaned as he threw himself at Olivia.

She caught the boy and pulled him onto her lap.

"Baby, I don't want to go but I have to. Oh, Elliot said that he'll see you later, and he really wants you to know that he'll miss you every day until you come back home" Olivia said as she rubbed Tommy's back.

"Imma miss him too" Tommy said through his tears. "Imma miss you Mama Liv. You promise just two weeks?"

"I promise. Now let's get you into some pj's and I'll tuck you into bed" Olivia said as she stood with Tommy in her arms.

"K mama Liv."

She dressed him in his blue and green stripped pajama's and tucked him into bed. She kissed his forehead and stood. Tommy's arm shot out and grabbed hers, keeping her from walking away.

"Will you sing me the song?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course baby boy" Olivia said as she sat back down on the floor. She brushed Tommy's dark hair back from his forehead and began to sing.

"There was a boy, a very strange enchanted boy, they say he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea, a little shy, and sad of eye, but very wise, was he" Olivia's voice rang out in the small room. She hoped he would remember this night, remember how much she cares for him, no matter what happened. She thought about the next lyrics and put more effort into making this the best song she'd ever sung.

"And then one day, a magic day he passed my way, and while we spoke of many things, fools and kings, this he said to me, 'the greatest thing, you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved, in return'."

She had thought of this song the second night Tommy had stayed with her. She had thought he was asleep when she first began to sing, but at the end of the song he had opened his eyes and asked her to sing it again. Ever since then she had sung it to him every night.

Tommy was asleep by the time she was finishing the last line, "the greatest thing, you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved, in return." Olivia pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the room, and her heart behind.


	21. Decree

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Twenty-one: Decree

The next week and a half seemed to drag by. Life without Tommy was terrible; her heart broke a little more every day they were apart. Today, though, she would see him. It was the day he would be called to testify in the case against his mother's murderer, the case against his father.

Alex had called and said that she was on her way to pick Tommy up from the Beckett's home and that they would be at the courthouse in little under an hour. Olivia hadn't been able to stop herself from heading to the courthouse early. She wanted to be with him the moment he arrived. She sat on a bench close to the wide double doors that she knew he and Alex would enter through.

After forty five minutes of waiting the doors opened and Tommy and Alex came through. Alex pointed her out to Tommy and the little boy ran across the room as fast as his legs would carry him. Olivia caught him mid leap and cradled him to her. Kissing his forehead and saying over and over how much she missed him.

"Mama Liv, I missed you. Can we go home now, please?" Tommy asked.

"I missed you too. No, buddy we can't go home just yet. First you need to talk to the judge and the lawyers remember?" Olivia reminded the four year old. She settled him on her hip and nodded a hello to Alex who smiled in return.

"Oh yeah, I remember. But then can we go home?" he asked with a grin.

"We sure can" Olivia promised Tommy. She decided to leave it unsaid that if Hoffman won the case, Tommy would have to go back and live with him. Tommy didn't need to have that on his mind when he was on the stand.

"Olivia, he can stay out here with you until he's called to the stand, but you'll have to have a witness. Just as a precaution" Alex added. Olivia nodded her understanding, not taking her eyes off her little boy.

"I'll send one of the court officers out then" Alex said as she entered the court room. Moments later a man exited the court room and stood a polite distance away, but within hearing distance. Olivia and Tommy ignored him for the most part, preferring to focus on one another.

Olivia looked Tommy over as she set him in his feet. He was wearing the white dress shirt she'd packed for him with a black tie and black dress pants. He looked even younger than his four years, wearing the adult clothes.

"Here, let me fix your tie" Olivia said as she gently undid the tie around his neck. She wasn't sure if she remembered how to properly tie a neck tie, but anything would look better than the mess of a knot that was currently around his neck.

Olivia struggled to fix Tommy's tie when she heard a voice behind her ask "need help?" Olivia turned to look at the new comer and Tommy let out a happy squel.

"Elliot! I missed you" Tommy said as he ran to the man. Elliot picked him up and gave him a tight hug.

"I missed you too little man" Elliot said with a smile.

"I know. Mama Liv told me that you'd miss me every day til I got back and Mama Liv doesn't lie" Tommy said in all seriousness.

Elliot grinned and ruffled Tommy's hair. "Your Mama Liv was right" he said as he put Tommy down. "Now how about we that fancy tie of yours?"

Olivia handed him the tie and he got to work, expertly knotting the tie around Tommy's neck. "There you go" Elliot said as he finished.

"Ma'am?" a new court officer called from just outside the courtroom doors. "They're ready for him."

Olivia looked at Tommy with a smile. "You ready to go talk to the judge and Ms. Alex?" she asked him, refusing to show any fear.

Tommy didn't look excited by the idea. "I'm scared" he said reaching out for her. She picked him up and they, along, with Elliot heading for the courtroom. As they walked Olivia tried to soothe his fear.

"You'll be alright" she said. "All you need to do is answer a few questions. I'll be in there, and so will Elliot. If you get nervous just look at us, and you'll know that we're here for you."

Elliot rubbed a soothing hand down Tommy's back, trying to help calm him like he did his own children. When they reached the court room doors Olivia put Tommy down and took his hand. They entered the court room and every eye was on the little boy. Tommy shrank back against her leg, and Olivia wanted nothing more than to pick him up and run far, far away from here.

She didn't though, she held his hand a little tighter and they walked down the aisle in between the rows of benches to Alex, who took Tommy's hand from Olivia's.

Olivia and Elliot took seats right behind the prosecution's desk and made sure Tommy would have a clear view of them, just in case he needed their support. Alex helped Tommy up the steps and into the witness box before turning and going back to her desk.

Olivia watched as Tommy scanned the full court room, his eyes glazing over the unfamiliar faces until they came to rest on his father. She held her breath as she waited for his reaction. Tommy held his father's gaze for a moment longer and then looked away.

The bailiff stood before Tommy to swear him in. "Please state your name" the tall man requested of Tommy.

Tommy looked down at his shoes and said nothing. Silence reigned over the court room as everyone waiting for the four year old to speak. Tommy shifted his gaze back and forth, first from the bailiff and then to his father, and then back again. The bailiff asked again "what is your name," and again Tommy said nothing.

"Can you tell us your name, son?" the judge asked. Olivia sensed that he wasn't one to give special treatment to a person, just because they happened to be a child.

When Tommy again refused to answer or even acknowledge the judge's question Dan Hoffman spoke up. "This is brutal. Please, stop this."

Olivia prayed that the judge would just give Tommy another minute. She knew he could do this. But it wasn't meant to be. The judge said "that's enough. This child is clearly in no state to testify."

Dan Hoffman made Olivia's blood boil when he thanked the judge. Like he gave a rats ass about Tommy. Hoffman was just grateful that Tommy hadn't told the truth about what had happened that night.

Alex approached the witness box and held out a hand to Tommy. "It's okay, Tommy. You can go now" she said as she helped him out. She held his hand as they walked across the front of the court. When they neared the defenses' desk, Dan Hoffman leaned forward in his chair and spoke to Tommy.

"I love you Son" he said. The look in his eyes said something different though. Tommy shot a look into the audience and found Olivia and Elliot, he gave them the tiniest of smiles then connected his gaze with his fathers' and spoke the words that would have the man sentenced to life in prison.

"You killed my mommy."


	22. Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own Law & Order SVU

Title: Desperate

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Twenty-two: Destiny

Six months later and Olivia, Tommy, and Elliot were back in a court room again. This time it was for a much happier occasion, Tommy's adoption.

The court room was smaller, the judge's bench lower to the floor and much less intimidating. The white haired man looked over his glasses at Tommy. He gave the boy a happy smile and began the process.

"Today we get to make this family official. For nearly a year they've been together and finally it's time to let the world know what they've known for a while. That Tommy Hoffman is Olivia Benson's son" the judge said.

Olivia smoothed down Tommy's unruly hair and gave the boy a smile.

"They were brought together by tragedy and yet, they've overcome all obstacles and are now thriving. Olivia Benson, do you promise to raise this boy as your own? To take care of him, to love him unconditionally, and to put his life before your own?" the judge asked.

"Yes, I do" Olivia said with a smile. Tommy's grin was huge as he heard Olivia's words.

"Then it is my honor, as a judge in the state of New York, to officially name Olivia Leigh Benson the mother of Thomas Aaron Benson. Congratulations to you both."

Tommy let out a cheer and hugged Olivia's legs. Olivia picked him up and cuddled him to her, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Congratulations guys" Elliot said as he and his family walked up to Olivia and Tommy.

"Thanks El" Olivia said with a smile.

"Tommy, we got this for you" Dickie said, thrusting a wrapped present in Tommy's hands.

Tommy grinned and ripped the paper off reveling a picture frame and photo. It was of Tommy's welcome home party a few months before. The frame was bright blue, Tommy's favorite color, and at the bottom of the frame in mismatched letters the word family was spelled out. In it, Elliot and Olivia were on each side of Tommy, with Maureen, Kathleen, and Kathy on Elliot's right and Dickie and Lizzie to Olivia's left. The smiles were bright and carefree, it had been a perfect moment caught on film, and Olivia teared up at the sight.

"Thanks!" Tommy said hugging Dickie. Olivia looked at Elliot with a smile, making her own gratitude known.

Their family was an odd one, but it worked for them. It wasn't what Olivia had expected out of life, but she wouldn't change it for the world.

**AN: Alright, this is the end… finally. I've got the sequel about halfway written so I'll go ahead and post a chapter today. It's called Taboo Baby, and it will be E/O. I'd planned for them to get together during this story but my muse had other thoughts, and honestly I think it works that they didn't. I liked showing a different side of Kathy. In a lot of stories she gets turned into a villain and in mine she and Elliot have their troubles but they still love each other. Anyway, let me know what you think. I love to read your reviews, and don't forget to check out the sequel Taboo Baby. **e He threw


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